I saw that USADA announced that another asshole cyclist was suspended for a technical doping violation. Shawn D’Aurelio, a KHS rider from Dana Point, refused to give a sample when USADA conducted a “random” test, so he has to sit out 4 years. Obviously, he was going to be positive or he wouldn’t have done a refusal.
I don’t know Shawn. I looked around the internet a little bit and nothing special seems to be there. I guess he would have been a lowly Cat 4 or something without the performance enhancing products he was using. That is my assumption for all of these guys. The dude is a coach, go figure. If, by chance, you’ve paid this guy some $$$ to coach you, I would demand my money back .
What really bugs me is that this guy maybe could have been racing with a bunch of friends of mine. I really don’t know Shawn’s status on the KHS team, but that team is merging with the Elevate Pro Team for 2017 and that means maybe he would have been racing with the newly merged entity. I know most all the guys on the Elevate Team and am super glad that this dude was caught before they got together.
I often wonder why USADA shows up on a guy’s doorstep? This guy in particular? It must have been a call USADA them by one, or multiple others. Or maybe he bought something from Thorfinn Sassquatch and got caught up in the squeeze? Whatever the case, I’m glad he is out of the competitive part of the sport for the next 4 years.
Seems like this USAC program, Race Clean is doing something. Maybe it is nothing, I have no idea how many silly amateurs feel the need for speed. But it does seem like a bunch of guys that wouldn’t normally be on anyone’s radar screen are getting popped. Whatever the reasons, I applaud them.
Yeah, Happy Birthday Shawn!!!
Drop down on the USADA page and you’ll see a whole host of other articles about cyclists who have gotten suspended. It is a dirty sport.
Same guy from 10 years ago… a body builder… That certainly doesnt look “natural”, evidently is still using the stuff he learned then. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oQU5Cr9f_go
Lokking at his size it looks pretty obvious… not a cyclist build 🙂
It never would have occurred to me that this many people would be doping in the amateur ranks.
F’ these guys for screwing up the sport for the rest of us.
Not sure what his category is, but I assume he’s at least Cat 2, based on the events his USAC results show him entering. If the guy was doping, he was not particularly great AT it. I see a couple of sporadic wins and a lot of 50th percentile results.
But I do see groupings of oddly higher results for weird periods of time. Look at the 2013 season. Donkey until April – June, where he cracked the top-15 in most events he entered. Then right back down to donkey status again. Same thing in July – September of 2012. It looks like his baseline is “mid-pack”, but he can significantly up his game for short bursts of time.
https://www.usacycling.org/results/index.php?compid=287621
Pay attention to all of these strip mall medical clinics: “Male aging” clinics and the like. All you have to do is get a low “T” rating and a doc can prescribe testosterone patches for you.
I spent a number of years away from the sport and then came back to race again. In between, the doping craze happened. When I came back, it was pretty easy to spot those who were cranking-out doped performances as compared to the others. When you’ve raced a ton, you develop a pretty good eye for how bodies can perform under certain kinds of conditions, and what kinds of differences exist “naturally” in people. Doped people (in the company of the non-doped) tend to stick out.
buddy that’s the same result profile that I have… it’s because of several reasons, none of which are doping
– sometimes I ride for teammates, occasionally I ride for personal results
– sometimes I’m out of shape, others I’m peaking for a target race
– sometimes the field / course is really tough, other times I luck out.
So don’t automatically assume somebodys doping based on inconsistent results.
Available for “coaching”…..
http://sdendurancesports.com/index.php
KrakatoaEastofJava – we need to get together and have a few beers! When in your book did the “the doping craze happen?” At the upper-end in the U.S. we saw it in the early 1980’s kick in, when did it hit the rank-and-file in your opinion?
“Drugs” have been around forever. I don’t consider SoCal “bully” track riders doing speed to be “doping”. I just consider that to be drug use.
I’m talking about the O2 vector / Transfusion / Testosterone / HGH era. I think it hit “local-level” (IE masters and non-pros) in the very late 90’s. I started to see guys doing what just can’t normally be done without some serious biochem.
I’ve seen you make blanket statements about it hitting the “upper-end” guys in the early 80’s before. I guess I need you to be specific for once. You seem to imply that either the trade teams or Eddie B walked around with medical bags filled with PEDs, which makes me wonder if you’re not just some 22 year old kid who simply assumes the scene was dirty back then. What PEDs? Injections of what? Look at Alexi’s past admissions. The dude would grab and take almost anything that he thought might help, (proven or not). There really weren’t many things out there that made that big of a difference. As far as steroids, very very few people knew to enlist them in recovery rather than in a “bulking-up” capacity. So they really weren’t being used much. Pedro Delgado was the first guy to get popped for a masking agent (Probenicid) in the mid-80’s, and it got everyone scratching their heads about why a lean TDF contender might be doing ‘roids for endurance events.
I’m not assuming anything. He just happens to have very long periods of mid-to-poor level results followed by periods of good ones.
You said this in your post today: “I guess he would have been a lowly Cat 4 or something”. There’s probably a whole bunch of those “lowly Cat 4s” who read your blog – hell, they might have once been inspired by you. Kind of along the lines when you mention in one breath that you did shitty in a race and then in the next breath comment on how you “smeared them”. Your blog – free world – I get all that. But it ain’t nice……………….
That caught my attention as well.
Kind of like a few years ago when he was at the cross World’s in Louisville and beat everyone in his field by 2 minutes while suffering with a bad shoulder/foot/ankle/ you name it. (Something is always broken or injured)
He beat some really quality guys (Tom Price and Gunnar Shogren) but couldn’t be humble about it.
Bring on the haters!
That’s pretty funny dude. I was a middle of the pack Cat. 3 at my best and I pretty much knew I sucked as a bike racer and wouldn’t be all that good at it. I was lowly and knew it. The problem is when lowly Cat 4s think they are the shit. That’s when the real problems begin–on group rides, etc.
Who is that fat guy in the picture?
If you google him, you get a body builder. Same guy?
back in the dallas, texas area about 10 years ago, he raced, atleast the mountain bike scene, and his nickname was rumored to be juice box.
and oh, i am lowly cat 4 cyclocross racer. don’t do pavement.
Don’t be too hard on Tilly. His elitist vibe leaks out once in awhile despite his best ‘masking agents’. Can’t be helped really, as its a disease of those more genetically endowed than the rest.
Seems like this USAC program, Race Clean is doing something. Maybe it is nothing,
It’s a nice show. Fry a few nobodies while the favored athletes are permitted to dope.
Shawn and I used to do amyl nitrite down at the bath house and he was always ‘ready to go’ if you know what I mean. I don’t know if this makes him a doper or unpopular but he was always on the hit list down at the bath house for me and all of the other butch’s that needed a little relief. Hopefully without the motivation to ride, he’ll be ready to turn a new leaf and be ridden like he used to. Kisses Shawn.
We called him ‘juicebox’ down at the bath house also. But for different reasons…..
“Lowly” is actually true, of course. There’s Pro/1/2/3 above them, and only the 5s below. Category 4s are people who work, have families, are full-time students, have other interests, etc. They race for the love of it, just like the “lowly” folks I know who play beer-league hockey, lunchtime basketball, or Saturday dollar-a-hole golf. They may well enjoy their particular sport as much or more than the “lofty” Category 1s. They may find the health-and-happiness pay-offs higher than the Cat 1’s or pros in their sports.
It seems as if this guy Shawn doped to opt out of the dreaded “cycling for fun” crowd so he could be pack fodder for the guys who try to ride bikes for a living. He used drugs to do it, apparently.
I like reading Steve’s blog, and admire his accomplishments, but would never trade my life for his. Shawn apparently was trying to do something exactly like that.
There is a strong history of autologous blood doping in the Dana Point area going all the way back to 1984.
You’ll get the gel.
Did you read the Rich McClung article ?
It’s worth a re-read
http://rmc43.blogspot.com/2013/06/how-blood-manipulation-really-ruined.html
While were at it, let’s put an end to all TUEs. It’s just sanctioned doping.
Great perspective – and you actually describe me pretty well (although I’m a 59 year old Cat 3). I also wouldn’t trade my life – or the toys / comforts of life I’ve worked hard to attain and enjoy. It’s all choices and perspective.
I’ve not seen that article. It’s very well-written, and I’ll be bookmarking it.
And as far as “top-level” riders, yes, I think there was blood manipulation going on several years before the late 90’s. Clearly it was happening in 1990-91. I’m still not sure how widespread it was in 1990 (yet) because very few people would have had access to the knowledge and resources required to make good use of it. And BTW, most of this nasty-bad shit was going on post-EddieB.
I (personally) give the early U.S. pioneers in blood doping (IE, certain 1984 Olympians) a “get out of jail, free” card, as back then, literally EVERYONE was always chasing that “magic thing” that would give us an advantage over our competition. The irony was that we never could find it back then. And everyone pretty much knew it (deep inside). Sure, there were always people who superstitiously drank their guarded protein powders, amino acids, etc, but nothing REALLY worked. And then, fuckin-A… Hegg and the gang stumbled onto something that totally fucking WORKED. And then it was like: “Holy fucking shit. This shit works! What the fuck are we supposed to do now?” Thus came the moral dilemma. I think the technique went to the European continent on the down-low, got worked-out quite a bit, and then made its way back home at the beginning of the 90’s. Right when the most type-A of ALL type-A’s came into prominence. Lance.
I don’t think transfusions made their way to low-level domestic racing by the late late 90’s, but EPO most certainly DID. The internet broke down the information barriers that had previously existed. And that’s when I’d see Cat4’s and masters riders do things in local races that I’d simply not seen before. Just like McClung took notice of Bobby J. Guys can’t pull everyone at top-speed for miles and then either do it again a few minutes later, or just flat out drop the entire peloton… unless they’re doping. This is the kind of shit I witnessed at races like Central Park and Prospect Park in Brooklyn. It just didn’t make any sense. But wealthy local riders with deep pockets sure did.
Same guy.
Lowly cat 4 ???? I guess if your not pro, your low
Thanks Steve.
No hating here. I’d actually like to see him enter a national level masters crit such as Tulsa Tough against guys like DeMarchi and Tintsman. I think he would find it tougher than he might think to crack the top 5 in those masters races. Which is probably why he won’t race them.
I agree. “lowly cat 4” and “silly amateurs” sure sound like an “elitist, arrogant, condescending” pro talking. I always thought Tilly was an ambassador for all cycling, but those words might lead one to believe otherwise. Every pro started off the same way, and one day every old pro will stop being a pro and become a “silly amateur” or, worse, a former racer who is now “incapable”, but most of us wouldn’t use those words when referring to them.
Other than being offended by the choice of words, I agree that it’s great to see pros and amateurs get busted for doping.
“Lowly cat 4” and “silly amateurs” sure sound like an “elitist, arrogant, condescending” pro talking. I always thought Tilly was an ambassador for all cycling, but those words might lead one to believe otherwise. Every pro started off the same way, and one day every old pro will stop being a pro and become a “silly amateur” or, worse, a former racer who is now “incapable”, but most of us wouldn’t use those words when referring to them.
Other than being offended by the choice of words, I agree that it’s great to see pros and amateurs get busted for doping.
Holy Hell, some of you guys need to man the fuck up a little! Never seen so many hurt feelings.
Sarcasm is all it was. Sometimes it’s an effective tool and sometimes it backfires.
All fucking amateurs and Cat 4’s must fucking hannnnnnnnnggggggg (or relax). Grow the fuck up, will ya?
-animal mother
I agree. I have been around the scene almost as long as Steve. It is a shame, and it really angers me, that I have to line up with many folks who might spend thousands in illegal gear, for what?, a 20 prime or some gels? I am happy to see the efforts of the RaceClean program, but we need to keep doing more.
Unless of course they were historically exceptional standout athletes. There are a few still around…
Yep, it does happen in real life. Crazy, I know…
To Just Sayin- Yep, truth, and ask me how I know it…. Phil and Chris are real deal.
The comment I found more chilling was the ” I have no idea how many silly amateurs feel the need for speed. ”
This echo’s Bob Roll’s comments how ‘yeah someone got caught doping but he was a pro…” and how he laughs when an amateur does the same thing as if to say ‘hey, pros dope….they’re in the business, they’re trying to make a living so I understand’ whereas if an amatuer does it it’s a foolish folly.
But they’re all cheats and they all basically have an ego and drug problem. Who cares if one’s paid and one is not.
You’re a bad-ass on the internet at least.
Well stated, Ken. While some pro’s perspective may be that I’m lowly as a cat 3 or 4, others perspective may be that some pros are lowly because of the amount of time they spend away from home and because of the very lowly pay they earn. That may seem silly to some. It’s all choices and perspective. I choose to live a life that allows me to purchase a $15K bike several times over and to race for the sheer love of the sport, and to enjoy my great days and my not-so-great days. And others chose to live a life that makes them financially unable to do that and dependent on a sponsor for that same equipment. I ain’t judging their choice nor would I call them lowly because I make a ton more than they do.
Folks save your bullshit comments about growing up, manning up and all that crap.
There should be an “unlimited ” or “open class” where anything goes as far as human doping. Not bike/mods etc.
Should be held as the final race of the day for obvious reasons and would need the necessary Med staff on hand (volunteers).
I think this would be a big draw and we would be able to witness some truly amazing athletic feats.
I magine a 50k crit around downtown Dallas called the Amphet 50, something like that.
Open Class.
No Rules.
When this idea takes off…well , you are welcome.
You can’t bust on Steve for the very quality that makes his blog interesting – the attitude that allows a guy at his age who has raced professionally for so long, to remain competitive at a high level in a brutally tough sport. If it makes you feel any better, most of you “lowly Cat 4’s” could probably crush LeMond this weekend if he jumped in the local Sat. ride/race – and I think he’s a few years younger than Steve…
Looking at this objectively – I think Steve was trying to be as salty as he could about the guy. I don’t think he would generally call cat 4’s lowly. I think it was a jab at the guy, who appears to otherwise be a pretty average cyclist, resorting to doping. Sometimes I (all of us, really) will use adjectives that we wouldn’t necessarily use when we’re trying to make a fevered point about someone or something. It’s frustrating to see all the crap that guys will resort to just to win a local race or cat up.
I was a “lowly” pro for a few years back in the 90’s. Nothing but field fodder 90% of the time. I never won anything on a national level, save a few track events. Even then, I’d see guys riding much nicer sh#t than my team could afford to put me on, and obviously using drugs. I don’t ride anymore, but when I see these guys doping to win a masters race, or a cat 3 or 4 race it seems absolutely asinine….And I think that’s where Steve’s perspective is coming from, and why he used a term for emphasis, more than a generalization. Just my 3 cents.
Mr. Boudreaux, I agree but would add that another key aspect of Steve’s writing is that he unintentionally employs the same literary device as Twain did in “Innocents Abroad”.
everyone dopes in socal. everyone, especially in masters cat. i’ve raced it, i’ve seen it. it sucks.