Philippe Gaumont

Philippe Gaumont (22 February 1973 – 17 May 2013)[2] was a French professional road racing cyclist.[3] He earned a bronze medal in the 1992 Summer Olympics, 100 km team time trial.[4] In 1997 he won the Belgian classic Gent–Wevelgem and he was twice individual pursuit French national champion, in 2000 and 2002. In 2004, Gaumont quit professional cycling and later ran a café in Amiens.

Philippe Gaumont
Personal information
Full namePhilippe Gaumont
Born(1973-02-22)22 February 1973
Amiens, France
Died17 May 2013(2013-05-17) (aged 40)[1]
Arras, France
Height1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Weight76 kg (168 lb; 12 st 0 lb)
Team information
DisciplineRoad
RoleRider
Professional teams
1994–1995Castorama
1996Gan
1997–2004Cofidis

Gaumont was well known for having confessed to extensive doping and explaining many tricks of the trade.[5] Gaumont gave a series of interviews, and wrote a book, Prisonnier du dopage ("Prisoner of doping") in which he explained doping methods, masking methods, the use of drug cocktails such as the pot belge for training and for recreation, and how the need to make money makes racers dope themselves. In April 2013 he suffered a major heart attack and was reported to be in a coma.[6] On 13 May 2013, several news sources reported his death,[7] but according to La Voix du Nord he remained in an artificial coma, though had suffered brain death.[8][9] He died on 17 May 2013.[10]

Doping usage

Gaumont began his professional career in 1994 in the Castorama team. In 1996 he joined the GAN team, and tested positive for nandrolone in two races. He joined Cofidis in 1997 and stayed there until the end of his career. In 1998 he tested positive twice for the nandrolone drug, but obtained that the case was dismissed. A year later a blood test conducted in the "Docteur Mabuse" justice case showed he was positive for amphetamines.

In 2004, he was interrogated by French police and justice in the enquiry for the Cofidis doping case. He declared that he had repeatedly and consistently used doping products, including EPO, since the beginning of his professional career. He then said that he thought that 95% of professional racers doped themselves and expressed very strong doubts that a racer could win a major tour, such as the Tour de France, without doping. As a result of this case, he quit professional racing.

Gaumont gave details in his book such as how to avoid being tested positive for corticoids: how, for instance, to irritate one's testicle sac using salt in order to provoke a rash and obtain a prescription for some corticoid cream. Since urine tests do not distinguish between (legal) corticoid applied as creams, with a prescription, and (illegal) injections, such prescriptions are used to mask doping.

Major results
1992
1st Overall Tour de la Somme
Bronze medal Olympics Men's team time trial
1994
1st Overall Tour du Poitou-Charentes
1st Stage 5
1996
1st Overall Four Days of Dunkirk
1st Overall Tour de Picardie
1st Stage 1
1st La Côte Picarde
2nd Tour de Vendée
1997
1st Gent–Wevelgem
1st Stage 3a Four Days of Dunkirk
1998
1st Stage 1 Grand Prix du Midi Libre
3rd Overall Étoile de Bessèges
2000
French Pursuit Champion
French Team Pursuit Champion
Bronze medal World Championships - Pursuit
2002
French Pursuit Champion

See also

References
  1. Décès de Philippe Gaumont, lequipe.fr, 17 May 2013
  2. 'Cyclisme : Philippe Gaumont est décédé', lavoixdunord.fr, 17 may 2013
  3. "Décès de l'ancien cycliste Philippe Gaumont - RTBF Cyclisme". Rtbf.be. Retrieved 13 May 2013.
  4. Olympic results
  5. Cyclists 'cheat dope tests'
  6. "Gaumont In A Coma After A Major Heart Attack". Cyclingnews.com. Retrieved 25 April 2013.
  7. Philippe Gaumont dies at 40 following heart attack
  8. "L'ancien coureur cycliste picard Philippe Gaumont serait en état de mort cérébrale à Arras". France 3 Picardie. 14 May 2013. Retrieved 14 May 2013.
  9. "Ex-wielrenner Philippe Gaumont 'hersendood'". De Standaard. 13 May 2013. Retrieved 13 May 2013.
  10. Mandard, Stéphane (22 May 2013). "Philippe Gaumont: vie et mort d'un ex "prisonnier du dopage"". Le Monde. Retrieved 23 May 2013.
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