Events

Lifetime ban for doping offenders at the Lesotho Sky

· By Press Office · 19 comments

Following Rourke Croeser’s positive tests for EPO and Phentermine, he has subsequently been stripped of his title for the 2015 Lesotho Sky. This judgment sees his team mate Max Knox also losing his title. The title for the 2015 race therefore goes to Matthys Beukes and Philip Buys. We appreciate the spirit in which these riders and other elite competitors approached the race.

The ABSA Cape Epic set the precedent for international mountain-bike stage races by instituting a zero-tolerance policy against doping. Any rider found guilty of doping will be banned for life from the Lesotho Sky. As a result, Croeser is banned from any future participation in the Lesotho Sky.

ccs-62657-0-82475300-1458835431.jpgRourke Croeser riding the first stage of Lesotho Sky 2016.

Lesotho Sky has been a UCI-accredited event since 2013. From the 2015 race onwards it is a Class 1 MTB stage race. Most participants in the race are amateurs from around the world. They come to experience the unique trails of the mountain-bike kingdom. The UCI status attracts a small field of UCI teams each year, among them Lesotho’s top riders, who gain valuable racing experience and UCI points. Lesotho Sky’s UCI status is an important achievement in support of the development of cycling sport in Lesotho.

Race organiser Darol Howes shared his regret about doping in cycling: “It is no secret that in the sport of cycling riders will do pretty much anything for marginal gains, but these marginal gains are the difference between 1st and 2nd or making a pay check and not. The furious competition in cycling sport and pressure to make ends meet are ultimately what makes one cheat. Because of this competition and pressure athletes put a crazy amount of time, work and effort into getting themselves ready for competition. Unfortunately, doping is a way around this. When athletes cheat they undermine the sport, and everyone who legitimately partakes, watches or supports the sport. It’s unfair to cheat and yes, life is unfair, but sport should not be. The ABSA Cape Epic set a standard with its stance against doping that needs support from the rest of the cycling community, and we at the Lesotho Sky joins them in helping make cycling a drug-free sport. This allows the athletes who truly put in the hard work with integrity get the results they deserve.”

Leading up to this year’s race, we call on all contestants to keep the #mountainbikekingdom clean.

Comments

Iwan Kemp

Mar 24, 2016, 4:48 PM

Banned for life? Love it. All events should follow suit

GLuvsMtb

Mar 24, 2016, 4:51 PM

Well done Lesotho Sky. No doubt some will stay away now, but weeding out the dodgy ones is kind of the point.

olffie1

Mar 24, 2016, 4:56 PM

Nice to see that some organisers have the balls to ban riders for life in their events! The UCI should follow suite.......they have been far to lenient on cheating. The proof is in the results.....riders are still taking chances and innocent clean riders are being ridden into the ground everyday because of this! There should be no stone left unturned in cleaning up this tarnished sport.

raptor-22

Mar 24, 2016, 4:57 PM

Banned for life? Love it. All events should follow suit

In this clearly blatant cheating case I agree 110%

Mongoose!

Mar 24, 2016, 5:00 PM

Will Beukes and Buys now get the winning price money also...?

Guest notmyname

Mar 24, 2016, 5:37 PM

Good. Ping farmer Glen.

JohanC

Mar 24, 2016, 6:09 PM

Great news! Set the example for the rest..

EmptyB

Mar 24, 2016, 6:23 PM

Just the way it should be...chuck them for good!!

Malpiet

Mar 24, 2016, 7:18 PM

shame I feel sorry for Max

FCH

Mar 24, 2016, 7:52 PM

"Ahhhhh, I immediately regret the decision! "

post-18563-0-73811100-1458849092_thumb.png

Jewbacca

Mar 25, 2016, 4:52 PM

That is just him trying to g g get a word out to o o o order a drink

Patchelicious

Mar 25, 2016, 5:14 PM

"Ahhhhh, I immediately regret the decision! "

That pic actually makes me believe that he IS poking ass sores!

Rocket-Boy

Mar 25, 2016, 5:16 PM

Come now chaps, he did well by training hard and being disciplined, he even said so himself...

Patchelicious

Mar 25, 2016, 5:18 PM

Come now chaps, he did well by training hard and being disciplined, he even said so himself...

I don't doubt that he trained hard! But if he couldnt win races without cheating then he should rather go sell insurance.
Gen

Mar 25, 2016, 5:43 PM

I don't doubt that he trained hard! But if he couldnt win races without cheating then he should rather go sell insurance.

Lol

 

I see what you did there [emoji23] [emoji23] [emoji23]

raptor-22

Mar 26, 2016, 6:27 AM

Over my head

 

 

Explain please

tunariaan

Mar 27, 2016, 6:38 AM

nee blixem.dont let him sell insurance. .dink net hoe sal hy die ouens belieg

Eldron

Mar 27, 2016, 6:56 AM

Brilliant! While cycling unions the world over sit on their hands race organisers are making doping much less attractive to riders.

 

If ALL race organisers did this we'd have no known dopers in races right? Pretty much a life ban on your first offence. Awesome!

Mntboy

Mar 27, 2016, 7:02 AM

I don't doubt that he trained hard! But if he couldnt win races without cheating then he should rather go sell insurance.

Well that would leave me in pickle, stay and get my outbonus in about a year's time or switch to another insurer or better yet he could join Frank's group and say he did 'miway'.

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