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Twitter reacts to David Millar British Cycling role

Meanwhile, ex pro outlines why he believes he is right person to mentor youngsters

The news yesterday that former pro-cyclist David Millar, who in 2004 was banned for two years for doping, is working with members of the British Cycling academy squad has predictably proved a controversial one, with opinion split on social media.

> British Cycling confirm David Millar mentoring GB academy riders

Here’s some reaction from Twitter to the news, followed by Millar himself outlining why he believes he is the right person for the role. What do you think? Let us know in the comments below.

> CX stalwart Vin Cox resigns from British Cycling over Millar role

Stef Wyman, owner and manager of the Matrix Pro Cycling women’s team and husband of cyclo-cross star Helen Wyman, wondered if it was an early April Fool story.

Multiple national mountain bike champion Jenny Copnall, who now works as a coach, was adamant Millar should not be allowed to work with youngsters.

But cycling photographer Camille McMillan believed some had missed the point.

Sky Sports reporter Orla Chennaoui described it as a “smart” move.

And York-based British Cycling commissaire Rich Mellen said he believed it was Millar’s own experience which made him exactly the right choice to mentor youngsters.

Millar himself told the Guardian’s William Fotheringham that he could pass on vital lessons to young riders that would help them as they progressed through the sport.

“I have been there and done it all recently, good and bad,” he explained. “It will make that world seem real to them. I’m still close to what they are dreaming of. They can ask me things and they will know they will get real-life experiences as an answer. It’s not just a matter of telling them what not to do, but why.

“I can tell them about the risks, how [doping] can damage you. It’s about qualifying them for the world they are going into. Cycling has cleaned up its act, it’s possible to get to the top clean, but you can see from what’s happening in athletics that there is a way to go.

“I’m in a strong position to educate those guys on what happens. If one of them has doubts about someone he is riding against, sees something he doesn’t understand, he can talk to me.

“He will know I will do something about it and that I will give him an idea of how to cope with it,” he added.

While he was banned, Millar revealed to British Cycling the extent of doping then taking place within the professional ranks, with his knowledge helping the governing body formulate its anti-doping policy in terms of protecting young riders.

He became one of the more outspoken voices in the sport against doping, and served on the World Anti-Doping Agency’s athlete panel.

But as was seen after his inclusion in the Team GB squad for the road race at London 2012 (after the British Olympic Association’s lifetime Olympic bans for dopers were ruled incompatible with the World Anti-Doping Code), the controversy over his British Cycling role shows he remains a divisive figure.

> David Millar cleared to ride at Olympic Games

Despite the furore, he was working yesterday with the academy squad in Montechiari, Italy, tweeting this picture.

 

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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1 comments

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grahamTDF | 8 years ago
1 like

3rd story on this, the clickbait is strong with this one.

 

I certainly fell for it....

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