Gabriel Evans (London Dynamo) took EPO back in August, a month before winning the British 10-mile TT title. The 18 year-old later confessed to the UK Anti-Doping authorities and said there's nothing he wouldn't give to be able to turn back the clock a few months, such is the mess his life has become (Photo: Larry Hickmott - VeloUK.net)
By Brian Canty
An 18-year-old English junior rider has apologised to his family, friends and peers after admitting he took the banned performance enhancer EPO to help him become the junior national 10-mile time-trial champion.
Londoner Gabriel Evans bought EPO in early August, a week before he travelled to France for a training camp. A month later he was crowned national champion.
He set a blistering time of 20.44 to win the title and he was fastest by 14 seconds, with Sam Henning (Catford CC) 2nd and Matt Langworthy (Mid-Devon CC) four seconds back in 3rd.
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While in France training prior to the event, the father of a team-mate he was staying with found a vial of EPO belonging to Evans.
He subsequently presented it as evidence to UK Anti-Doping (Ukad), after which Evans explained the full story.
“Ukad contacted me shortly after to arrange a deposition, in which I promptly admitted to all wrongdoing,” he said in a statement on a British TT forum today, Thursday.
“I withdrew from the upcoming Junior Tour of Wales, the premier event on the junior calendar," added Evans, who won the junior 25 mile TT crown last year.
The Welsh event was won by Ireland's Eddie Dunbar last year, with Evans riding on that ocassion as a first-year junior and finishing 42nd overall.
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Another Irish junior Adam Stenson won a stage this year.
Evans continued in his statement: “I have competed only one time since buying the drugs; on 5 September 2015 I raced the National Junior 10m TT in which I finished first.
“I did not have this race in mind when I used the drugs; I realise that competing was [another] huge mistake but at the time my intent was not malicious.
“I was hoping to regain some normality and that the whole mess would somehow be swept under the rug. I have now forfeited this title.”
Evans admitted his doping has been “immensely destructive” and will continue to be for some time to come, both to his sporting career and to his personal life.
“There is nothing that I would not give to be able to turn back the clock to August 2015 and have that choice again.
“I am doing the best I can to put this right by being as honest and contrite as possible.
"I plan to continue to train hard for the duration of my ban and return to racing once it expires, whenever that should be.”
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