# Justin Spinelli On Doping



## velochico

Source: www.stolenunderground.com

The Commander- Tell us about your career. Is it true you made it to the Giro D'Italia in just your third year of racing bikes? Exactly how many years did it take to turn pro?

Justin Spinelli- I fell in love with the bicycle and everything along with it after working as a mechanic at a bike shop. After my first race I was hooked. I started racing on the road full time in the year 1999 and progressed from a Cat 3 with no upgrade points, to a Cat 1 in the span of 5 months. I won a lot of races. By the end of that year I was the Team Leader on the US National U-23 Team at the World Championships in Valkenburg. Looking back I was so naive and fearless. I raced the following season poorly with only one exceptional performance at the Tour de L' Avenier riding as a stagiere for Team Mercury. 
I was supposed to turn pro for Mercury in 2001. I was riding extremely fast in the spring of 2001 after living at Jon Wordin's house and training in California. Just as I was signing with Mercury, I got an offer from the now defunct Team Farm Frites. Team Farm Frites was one of the premier teams in the world, and at that time were ranked #1 in the UCI rankings. The choice for me was obvious; I would make any sacrifice to race in Europe on a Division 1 Team. 

CMDR- At what age and level did you realize that performance enhancing drugs where something you were going to have to come face to face with? 

JS- I realized doping of any sort was the nature of the sport at a very early point. I would say in 1999. Doping did not become an actual reality until I physically saw doping products. I am talking about the serious doping products EPO, Human Growth Hormone, Aranesp, Cortisone, and Testosterone. The products that are illegal work extremely well. 

CMDR- When were performance enhancing drugs first introduced to you and how did they let you know?

JS- Doping products were first introduced to me by a fellow rider in the year 2001. He said he couldn't believe that I was finishing some the hardest races in Italy without doping. (Once again by doping I mean the hard drugs, EPO, GH) I can't describe to the common domestic racer how difficult these races actually are, so I won't. But let me put it this way, if you think you have done some hard races... you haven't. My friend insisted If I started doping I would be finishing in the first group. He was right. After a course three-week course of EPO combined with Growth Hormone, I was climbing with some of the best climbers in the world and I would recover unquestionably day after day.

CMDR- How did you get your drugs?

JS- I got my drugs from fellow riders. There was never any form of organized doping on the Teams I raced for. The drug network in those years was between the riders. All it took was to know that "one guy" and the knowledge to know what and how much to ask for.

CMDR- Did you realize you were losing your soul? Did you realize it was a deal with the devil or did they have you brain washed and under mind control?

JS- I had put myself under mind control the first time one of my team directors told me "If you don't like it (doping), leave the sport of cycling." After he told me this I realized and accepted the fact that one day I would dope. I thought of it as being part of the job.

CMDR- How did you feel about taking drugs, did you feel like you couldn't look yourself in the mirror after you took them?

JS- I though taking drugs was cool. Up until a point a couple of years ago, which I will talk about later; I always thought drugs were mysterious and alluring. By taking them you were part of some "elite" selection.

CMDR- Was it ever worth it?

JS- Yes. I believe everything in life happens for a reason. If I did not experience that I would not be able to share my knowledge with other people. If I can change the life of one person in a positive manner then I will be happy.

CMDR- How many other riders around you were taking drugs while you were in Europe?

JS- Every one of them. 

CMDR- Did any America pro ever ask you to buy drugs for him and bring them back?

JS- No. But interestingly enough, the situation arose in a vice versa manor. I had Europeans asking me to get them drugs from America! Growth Hormone.

CMDR- How many pros would you say in America are using drugs and where do you think they are getting them?

JS- I do not know. Before I left America to race in Europe, I was too naive to even suspect widespread drug us. When I returned from Europe I never even though about doping. After racing in the hardest races in the world, I knew if you had to dope to compete in NRC races that pale in comparison to any Pro race in Europe, you were indeed an individual with very limited natural athletic ability.

CMDR- What do you think the punishment should be for someone who comes forward never being busted?

JS- The punishment should be that all his former victories and results are withdrawn and removed from the record books. None of this " I doped for this race, but not for that one." That is total bullshit. 
They should be able to continue racing. But knowing modern cycling the reality is they will be fired by their team and be without a job. This is where the true problem lies within the hypocrisy in the world of cycling. All the really dirty stuff and the lies.

CMDR- What do you think the punishment should be for someone who gets busted?

JS- They should be banned from any form of athletic competition for life. They should never be able to practice Sport in a competitive manner. 

CMDR- What was the lowest point in your life?

JS- Ouch. When I realized I would no longer be racing on a Division 1 Team in Europe again. That reality was too much to deal with because they say once you leave you can never get back (Europe). I lost hope with life and began using cocaine. It was a very ugly and vicious addiction. Overcoming that world of hell was one of my greatest challenges. Now more than ever, I am an extremely hard individual. I feel I am capable of achieving anything I set my mind to.

CMDR- Would you say the performance enhancing drugs, led you down the path to cocaine?

JS- Not directly. People I was around in Europe were using cocaine in front of me on several occasions and at that point it never appealed to me. I was so happy riding strong in Europe in some of the hardest races and on one of the best teams, I was happy and confident and felt no need for an escape from reality.
After my experiences in Europe I was however, very comfortable doing "hard-core" drugs. When I returned to America I never balked when offered cocaine for the first time. I did not realize at that moment it would grow to consume me.

CMDR- What are you plans for the future, how has this experience changed your life?

JS- I am obsessed with the bicycle. My whole day revolves around bikes. Riding in the morning followed by 8 hours working as a bike mechanic. I will soon continue my education in Design but will focus more on the Manufacturing side of Industry. My life changes from day to day. My life changes itself. 

CMDR- What would you say now to current pros who are doping and haven't been caught?

JS- As far as domestic pro's doping (this hurts because some of you I really like and looked up to. The riders who raced Pro in Europe this does not apply to you because you know suffering and do not deserve disrespect) You are a very pathetic individual and most certainly have very limited athletic ability. You probably throw a baseball like a girl and would have no muscle tone at all if it weren't for the drugs you are using. Plain and simple, you are not an athlete. Lance Armstrong is an athlete (just look at the guy).
To all the European Pro's, my heart goes out to you because doping is a must for you. That is the truth. You can try to race competitively without doping and you may be sucsessful in one or two races, but to race that whole season with all those insanely fast races without doping and still have a contract after your current one expires.... GOOD LUCK!!!

CMDR- What would you say to current directors who are signing riders who have failed drug tests and quietly support doping?

JS- Excellent question. These directors are the roots of the sports doping problem, they give the rider a certain mentality. The rider thinks, "I can take drugs. I may get caught, I may not, but when I win I will have a job next year." 

CMDR- Knowing what you know now, what would you say to the guys who pushed drugs on you in the past? 

JS- I would say nothing. I took them. It was my choice. I could have said NO. 

CMDR- Can a rider race in Europe clean and win the Tour de France the way things are now? 

JS- I highly doubt it. I want to say NO WAY, but that would be irrational because you never know what can happen. Lets just say this; it would take an Act of God for a clean rider to win the Tour de France in this era.

CMDR- If you don't think a rider can win the Tour de France clean now, how would you change things so in the future that rider could win the Tour de France clean?

JS- It is sad to say but Gene Doping is the next big performance enhancement and though I am not a doctor, I do know it will be nearly impossible to detect this form of doping. The win the Tour clean you will quite simply need to be a Freak of Nature. A Physical Specimen more finely tuned than anyone else in the world. Take Damiono Cunego. He has a natural hematocrit of 51+(UCI laboratory tested and approved), he has an excellent physique, he has the mind of a fighter, and he has a positive attitude. The world may have never seen a rider with his gifts and he is the prototype for the future in clean cycling. I can not say if he is on drugs of not, but I do know he is a fine specimen capable of recovering day after day without the use of blood doping products and/or methods. 

CMDR- How would you solve the problem of cleaning up the sport?

JS- Attack the problem. The corrupt team managements are the problem. These guys need to be outcasted and replaced by people who have morals.

CMDR- What are you going to do to fight the battle and what do you think about Stolen Underground?

JS- I fight by fighting. I go to races and compete, clean. Let me say this to all the readers. When I got the first batch of Stolen Underground clothing and wore it as if I were wearing a $2000.00 suit. I even wore it with a $2000.00 suit!!! Word.
But seriously as far as the Stolen Underground Mission goes. Please, do not hurt the riders themselves, some of these guys are just trying to feed their children and pay their rent. Try to get to the true root of the doping problem. 

CMDR- What do you expect people to say to you now?

JS- Not many people talk to me, you know that.


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## Rollo Tommassi

*Mandatory reading*

Impressive. Thanks for posting.


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## vjarnot

That site is funny. When did capitalist become derogatory?


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## azmadoc

The lead editorial in the New England Journal of Medicine this week was on doping and it had a big section on EPO and cycling. The gist of it was pretty simialr to that article: Its rampant and it taints every victory with cynicism.


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## Sintesi

vjarnot said:


> That site is funny. When did capitalist become derogatory?


Since the beginning of class consciousness and the industrial revolution. "Bourgeois" can also be used as an aspersion to describe the self-satisfied, materialistic, intellectually narrow, etc...

Where the hell have you been? Were you alive in the 20th century?


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## vjarnot

Sintesi said:


> Since the beginning of class consciousness and the industrial revolution. "Bourgeois" can also be used as an aspersion to describe the self-satisfied, materialistic, intellectually narrow, etc...
> 
> Where the hell have you been? Were you alive in the 20th century?


Hmmm, I grew up in Poland and even though I've lived in the US for 20 years I guess I never developed that negative connotation.

I guess now that I've risen from the proletariat to somewhere between the bourgeois and the nouveau riche, I must cry "Down with the Capitalist Pig-Dogs!"

Lovely tone in your reply, by the way.

Where the hell have you been? Who the hell managed to plant so much guilt in your head?


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## NC_Jim

*BRAVO! (nm)*

NM nm nm


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## Sintesi

vjarnot said:


> Hmmm, I grew up in Poland and even though I've lived in the US for 20 years I guess I never developed that negative connotation.
> 
> I guess now that I've risen from the proletariat to somewhere between the bourgeois and the nouveau riche, I must cry "Down with the Capitalist Pig-Dogs!"
> 
> Lovely tone in your reply, by the way.
> 
> Where the hell have you been? Who the hell managed to plant so much guilt in your head?


I think you need another 20 years to pick up a sense of humor. You're still "tone" deaf. If you've been reading any significant literature of the last 20 years American or European, capatilism and bourgeois values have been hacked at right and left. 

Guilt? what the hell are you talking about? I don't have any guilt. 

And if you've "risen" to "nouveau riche" then why must you decry capatalists? You don't make any sense poland boy.


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## vjarnot

Sintesi said:


> You don't make any sense poland boy.


I was done with this thread, but that is just too high-larious.



Sintesi said:


> Guilt? what the hell are you talking about? I don't have any guilt.


I can't believe you don't get it. Somewhere along the line, someone convinced you that "The Man" is keeping down the "Honest Working Stiff"; and you appear to be scared out of your gourd about becoming "The Man". But don't worry, you're way more punk than I am...


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## 2Fast2Furryious

Though I am not a "punk," I believe that unbridled capitalism leads to a market that rewards, on the most base level, efficiency. This focus is blind to the more humanitarian responsibilities that companies should, in a perfect world, give out willingly. Examples:

Livable minimum wages
Free or cheap day-care for working parents ("stiffs")
Reducton of the export of labor to reduce overhead
Health benefits for the entire working population
Profit sharing

These are just a few of my concerns. Yes, some business accomidate the above, but can you get this working at Burger King or heck, a bike shop? Most likely not. The supression and slandering of unions has only exacerbated the problem. There is no "Man" but that does not mean problems do not exist.


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## 1centaur

*There are no easy answers on capitalism*

Don't want to hijack this thread but...

It is very difficult to say whether it is better for society if companies "give" lots of benefits (all of which reduce the profit sharing you suggest, BTW). It is human nature that simple goals (maximize profit) are easiest to strive towards. When the picture becomes muddled, with government and private enterprise sharing the burden of creating a livable income/benefit stream for everyone, more businesses (particularly small ones that are less able to afford group benefits) will fail (bad for employees) or will underperform their potential, which is bad for overall GDP, and thus the tax base, and thus government's bankroll. At the same time, the merciless incentive to strive personally for a livable income is extremely important to maximizing society's welath - if a livable income stream is provided to the individual without strong regard for talent, society will suffer. This is the essence of why communism failed. The question, IMO, is whether if companies try just a little bit to share the burden with government whether that would be cheaper for us than if government takes on the complete safety net role, given the inherent inefficiency of government (due to lack of incentives, of course).

As for keeping jobs in the U.S., read Adam Smith - it is unquestionably better for the country to specialize (export jobs to low cost labor countries), and unquestionably worse for the U.S. workers effected. That's a case of taking short term pain for long term gain, and all the wishing in the world won't make it different.


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