Cycling great battles drug use

Press, 14 September 1988, Page 32

Cycling great battles drug use

BY

BERT LAUWERS

NZPA-Reuter Belgium Eddy Merckx, Belgium’s most famous sportsman, has more reason than most to be concerned about cycling’s future.

Merckx retired from the saddle 10 years ago after a glittering career which included three world championship wins and five triumphs in the Tour de France, the greatest stage race of all. But with his son, aged 16, set to embark on his own career as a professional rider, the great Belgian is desperate to protect his family and his sport from cycling’s biggest threat — drugs. Not surprisingly, Merckx recommends more testing to catch offenders young. “As soon as youngsters start racing, they start

taking medicine. That’s entirely wrong — it’s ridiculous,” Merckx, now aged 43, said from his cycle factory near Brussels. “Don’t tell me a boy needs vitamins for riding 60km. “Cycling is often linked to medicine, so each young rider thinks he just has to take something to make things work. We need to test these young people more often.” Merckx said he doubted that drug use in cycling had increased over the years. “There are more tests. There’s a need for control but they should not forget that it’s a professional sport,” he said. “Cycling is a tough sport. Riders go to the limit and therefore need medical guidance. But medicine won’t turn a mule into a racing horse.” Merckx retired in 1978 after 12 years at the top

and has turned his attention to commerce. He heads a company producing high-quality machines, has a top race named after him, sponsors several cycling teams and selects Belgium’s riders for the world championships. But since he retired, Belgian cycling fortunes have slumped. Merckx said: “A lot of talent is lost. Many young riders race too much and the number of races won is more important to them than the quality of the events. “A lot depends on’ their mentality. Life in general has become less difficult compared with when I rode and riders just want to take it more easily.” Merckx’s son, Axel, decided last year to follow his father into professional cycling. But Merckx said: “It’s too soon to tell whether he’ll be a star.

It’s a game for him. He rides well — nothing more, nothing less.” Despite the pressures of the modern age, Merckx insists: “If I were 16 years old, I’d take up cycling again. I had a beautiful time, but I also like what I’m doing right now.” “I’ve done a couple of things ... you can always want more but it could have been worse. I don’t think I can complain.” He set up his company, named simply Eddy Merckx, in 1980. Thirtythree employees, including several former teammates, now produce about 6000 cycles a year. But production will be increased to about 10,000 annually over the next few years. Merckx, who always gave his best in competition, now applies the same philosophy to business: “The most important thing is to control your

product. Whether that means we produce 8000 or 12,000 bikes doesn’t matter. Quality and service have to be good.” Merckx’s machines are not cheap — they range in price from 38,000 Belgian francs ($1570) to 150,000 francs ($5887) — and sales struggled in the first two years. Merckx lost around 15 million Belgian francs ($588,750) during the lean period and he said: “It was indeed very difficult but now we’re doing better than expected. You have to learn, you make mistakes and there are people that don’t respect contracts.” Merckx’s prestige and experience have also earned him a job with the Belgian cycling federation, which asked him for the third year running to select its world championship team.