Miserable news hits the Internet today ! Stuey O'Grady having kept company with Matt Whiteand David Millar , during his Pro World cycling Career , reveals that he was doing what they chose to do during their careers !
HE BUCKLED UNDER THE STRAIN , IN AN EFFORT TO PERFORM !
My first contact with Stuey was in the Cholet to Chatellerault Etappe , at the France TV3 Compound in the Arrival area on that Wednesday night . He had just been moved into the " Maillot Jeune " through a combination of good fortune and serendipity ! I had the previous night , had the good fortune to meet a France TV3 Employee , who recognising a " story " , introduced me to a colleague , who quickly scheduled a meeting point , at the start of the day's Etappe in Cholet . During the day he popped up several times , along the route and reminded me where to find the TV3 Personnel area at the " Arrivee "!
Whilst awaiting decisions , i was given hospitality in an area that abutted the " Winner's Area " , thus reached over the Wire barrier to shake hands and congratulate a sheepish looking Stuey . He seemed to be bewildered with his good fortune . The following evening he was a lot more at ease with his " role " , when i again greeted him . Friday night after a day of being trailed by a car , loaded with TV3 Personnel , i again got to greet him . Amusingly my " Team " returned from a meeting , and decided that they needed " film " of the Two of Us together . You can imagine that scene , Stuey in the Maillot Jeune , wondering " WTF is going on here ?" Already shaken hands with this old goat "!
Later in the 1998 TDF , i was in Grenoble when Stuey won the Etappe on the Sunday , arriving in front of a heavy Thunderstorm which then continued into the next day , that saw Pantani win the Etappe in Des2Alp , after a waterlogged day including the Galibier .
Over the years i have bumped into Stuey in a variety of situations , one occasion coming to mind , is the rest Day in Bordeaux . I had ridden out of the Hotels Complex , that morning with the USPS team , with all but Lance making the Rest Day training ride . Along the way i was twisting the tail of Paulo Salvodelli , since the " Italian Diving Team " had put the Aussies out of the World Soccer Cup . The other Team guys joined in the banter and an amusing training ride around the area continued . returning to the Hotels Complex near the Racecourse , i then joined the T-Mobile Team spending some time chatting with Vinky amongst others on that ride .
After Lunch , i happened on Stuey as he started a lone ride . On asking to join , he said he would prefer to listen to the music he had brought along with him . No loss to me , as we were some way out of the Bordeaux Old Town , which i was planning to visit .
Another occasion was the Vuelta Rest Day when i had ridden out of town with the FDJ Team and happened on the group , containing the Schlecks , Cancellara and Stuey , that was taking coffee by the beach . Seems they were discussing LeOpard business , so i was shooed off .
With 16 seasons at the " Le Tour " , i have had plenty of occasions to see Stuey in Action . It has also been my pleasure to meet him at several Olympic Road Races and World Championships .
Below is his Palmeres , copied from elsewhere :
FACT FILE
STUART O'GRADY
Age: 39
From: Ingle Farm, South Australia
Lives: Luxembourg/Adelaide
Teams: GAN/Credit Agricole, Cofidis, CSC/Saxo-Bank, Leopard, Orica-GreenEDGE
6 Olympic Games
1 Olympic Gold Medal
1 Olympic Silver Medal
2 Olympic Bronze Medals
1 Paris-Roubaix Title
4 Commonwealth Gold Medals
17 Tours de France
4 Tour de France stage wins
2 Tour Down Under titles
CAREER TIMELINE
1992: Makes Olympic debut at the age of 18 in Barcelona and wins a silver medal in the team pursuit
1993: Wins team pursuit world title
1995: Turns professional with French team GAN, later known as Credit Agricole
1996: Wins two bronze medals at the Atlanta Olympics
1997: Makes his Tour de France debut
1998: Rides the Tour de France for the first time, wins Stage 14 and wears yellow jersey for two days
1999: Wins inaugural Tour Down Under
2001: Wears yellow jersey at the Tour de France for five days
2003: Wins national road race title
2004: Wins Olympic gold in Athens with Graeme Brown in the madison
2007: First Australian to win one-day Classic, Paris-Roubaix
2010: Guides Andy Schleck to overall victory at the Tour de France
2012: Joins Australia's first WorldTour team, Orica-GreenEDGE and competes in his sixth Olympics in London
2013: Rides a record-breaking 17th Tour de France as Orica-GreenEDGE wins the team time trial. Announces his immediate retirement after the Tour and admits to taking EPO before the 1998 Tour de France.
With this Career behind him , it comes as a GREAT SHOCK to many , that he chose not to defy his " accusers " since the nature of the French Senate Enquiry was to " Speculate " rather than to state emphatically the names revealed were GUILTY of DOPING !
Earlier in the year i created a " Change.org Petition " ,
to allow Racers to reveal their " Past Indiscretions " , but NOONE seems to be willing to see OMERTA Broken , thus starting the HEALING Process that is required to SAVE ROAD RACE CYCLING from the coming STORM !
I also wrote a letter to the Australian Governor General trying to create the right atmosphere for confessions such as Stuey is now offering :
Will we NOW see more Aussie Racers follow his example ?
My Tweets to Stuey today :
My Tweets to Stuey today :
- @Cyclocosm @StueyOG Hey Stuey , remember when we met in TV3 TDF 1998 , i said i had no time for " Dopers " & YOU give me cold shoulder SINCE
- @Cyclocosm @StueyOG Remember me riding with You in Nice 2013 asking You to guard REP of Gerrans? Guess French Senate changes Career Options?Could be said that i was taking advantage ?Personally i WISH that People had chosen to use the " Petition " or something similar !Cycling Sport will now get more of a KICKING and more BAD PRESS !
Some of the articles , currently highlighting his " Confession ":
http://cyclingtips.com.au/2013/07/ride-a-kilometre-in-ogradys-shoes-before-judging/
http://stevetilford.com/2013/07/25/stuart-ogrady-exposed/comment-page-1/#comment-32766
skippy mc carthy 
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