No mention of the surgical procedure Tyler used as his excuse. One of
them is lying.
www.tylerhamilton.com:
Sept. 24, 2004
GIRONA: This update is coming to you from Haven Hamilton. I'm Tyler's
wife. I wanted to post a note of appreciation to all of you who are
standing behind Tyler and I during this very difficult ordeal. The
outpouring of support has been overwhelming and is appreciated more
than you can imagine. Tyler is innocent of the charges against him and
we will do everything we can, with every resource we have to make this
clear.
I have known Tyler since 1996 and we have been married for almost six
years. When I met him he was a neo-pro bike racer who competed
primarily in the United States. Back in the day, we had no idea
Tyler's career would reach the heights that it has. But we've been
grateful for every opportunity he's been provided through racing and
have made the most of what I often refer to as - one incredible
adventure.
After ten years of working for an advertising agency back in Boston I
left my job to join Tyler full time in Europe. The weeks and months
apart were taking a toll on our relationship and it was clear that if
Tyler was going to excel overseas he needed an on-sight support
network.
Some people probably assume that athletes who make it to the
professional level were born gifted, and that it's the gift they
possess that allows them to make a living doing what they love. But
the gift is only the beginning. Tyler and I have met many talented
cyclists over the years who never make the jump to Division 1. So many
things can railroad a career. A bad season, a lack of support, a team
folding. the list of variables stacked against a kid who wants to rise
up to the highest level of this sport is endless. The ones who make it
have to above all, love what they are doing, be dedicated beyond
compare, and have luck and forward momentum on their side.
And this is all just for starters. When Tyler began racing in Europe,
he quickly realized he was starting anew as an athlete. Although he
had been a successful cyclist in the US, he had to begin the process
of proving himself all over again. It was clear that success back home
did not guarantee success in Europe.
For the first time in his life he was told he was "over-wieght",
"didn't train hard enough", "didn't eat right", "wasn't dedicated
enough". This was pretty shocking considering he had been a successful
skier, soccer player, sail boat racer, little leaguer and cyclist all
his life. But Tyler took the advice of his new mentors, and as he
would say - "stepped up" his dedication and focus.
Tyler's steady progression over the last eight seasons here in Europe
has been a result of his ability to put cycling first in his life. I
have often joked that I ranked third behind the bike and dog in
Tyler's world. But there is some truth to this. Since 1997, the bike
has been first. Tyler has been a cyclist 24 hours a day, 7 days a
week, 365 days a year without exception.
This means that everything about our daily lives has been centered
around his career. The way we eat, what we eat, where we live, how we
rest, how often we see our friends and family, how often we go out to
dinner, where we go out dinner, where we go, what we do - has all
depended on what has been most suitable for Tyler's legs. This takes
discipline and dedication that we have often times found ourselves
having to explain over and over. "Yes, I know it's Christmas, but
Tyler has to ride his bike today". "The wedding isn't until 5 o'clock.
He'll be back from his ride in time." "I know you spent all day
preparing dinner, but Tyler can't eat that."
But the sacrifices have been worth it. Every season Tyler has managed
to set the bar a little higher for himself and reach a new height that
he hadn't reached before. But he has also been very "human" on the
bike. One thing that separates Tyler from other athletes in my mind is
that he has never been afraid to fail. So many times he has finished a
race several minutes behind the leaders when it would have been easier
to climb into a team car and go home.
If his career has proven nothing else, it's that cycling is a humbling
and unforgiving sport. One that no human being can be good at 100% of
the time. Tyler accepts this. This is why he has always said that you
can't get too carried away when things are going well, and you can't
get too down when things aren't. The racing season is nearly ten
months long. Peaks and valleys in performance are as prevalent as
peaks and valleys on course profiles.
This season has been no exception. Tyler was very disappointed to have
to abandon the Tour de France with his back injury. Although his
efforts in the 2003 Tour reinforced the valuable lesson - that no one
should give up on anything without a fight, Tyler also recognized that
he punished his body by pushing it through that race with a broken
collarbone. He paid dearly throughout the rest of the summer and fall.
It took him a very long time to recover from that effort. So this
year, he knew from experience what the consequences could be if he
continued on with his injury. That's why he stopped the race, rested
and refocused his fight on the Olympics. He still fought back, but in
a different place.
At the end of the day, Tyler will tell you he loves his bike, his
career, his team, racing and his life overseas. But he will also admit
this is just bike racing. He has proven he is willing to dedicate his
life to this sport, but he is not willing to risk his life for it.
Transfusing blood from a foreign source is dangerous business. We know
this because our dog Tugboat faced the need for a transfusion in June.
He had been bleeding internally and had lost over half his blood
supply. When the veterinarian recommended a transfusion we agonized
over the option for the better part of week. We feared contamination
and disease. Only when the situation became "life or death" did we opt
to move forward.
When a second transfusion was needed, we reluctantly moved forward
again. This time, the effects were devastating. Tugboat was left
paralyzed on the left side of his face in reaction to the blood. He
never recovered. His final days were more uncomfortable as a result.
With the dangers of transfusing blood so fresh in our minds, it is
ridiculous to think Tyler would consider taking another person's
blood.
When Tyler won his gold medal in Athens he achieved a life long dream.
That medal is his payback for years of hard work and dedication.
Tyler was asked to participate in the Vuelta because one of his
teammates had an injury that prevented him from going. Tyler and his
team stated many times, prior to the race, that there was no pressure
on him to lead the team.
His win in the individual time trial there was justification that the
time trial training he had done for Athens was right on. That he would
go on to lose ten minutes the next day, and an additional 40+ minutes
in the days ahead prove once again how human Tyler is.
He could have dropped out of the race after falling out of contention
for the general classification, but he wanted to be there for his
teammates; to go on riding in support of them, like they have done so
often for him. After all, this was why he was there in the first
place. This is the essence of bike racing and good sportsmanship. And
Tyler has proven many times over that he can weather the ups and downs
of competition. He can succeed and fail without making excuses. At the
end of the day he knows how lucky he is just to have the opportunity
to do what he does for a living. He accepts the highs and lows as if
they are both gifts that teach him to take nothing for granted.
Tyler is devastated to be accused of being dishonest. After all the
years of hard work he has devoted to his racing career, he feels as
though he is being stabbed in the back. He is angry. If we have to
drain our bank accounts to get to the bottom of this we will. And when
Tyler can speak freely about all of this, he will.
There are a number of questions that have to be answered regarding the
situation Tyler now faces in light of the charges against him. We will
do everything in our power to address them. Tyler's family, friends,
supporters, team and sponsors deserve answers as much as he does.
We'll get there. The peaks and valleys ahead will not derail us from
clearing Tyler's name.
Thanks for reading.