Stephen Swart

Stephen Swart (born Auckland, 5 January 1965) is a former New Zealand cyclist. He began his professional career with British team, ANC-Halfords and rode the 1987 Tour de France with them. After the ANC team folded later that year, he rode for American teams.

Stephen Swart
Personal information
Born (1965-01-05) 5 January 1965
New Zealand
Team information
Current teamRetired
DisciplineRoad
RoleRider
Professional teams
1987ANC–Halfords
1988SEFB
1989–1993Coors Light – ADR
1994–1995Motorola
Medal record
Representing  New Zealand
Men's Track cycling
Commonwealth Games
Silver medal – second place 1986 Edinburgh 4000m Team Pursuit

With the Motorola team, he participated in the 1994 and 1995 Tour de France. He won the Herald Sun Tour (Australia) and the Tour of Canada.

Swart's older brother, Jack, was a top amateur cyclist.[1]

In the 1986 Commonwealth Games he competed in the 4000m team pursuit, the team came second for silver; and in the 4000m individual pursuit.

Doping and cheating revelations

Prompted by his son's taking up racing, Swart spoke up about doping in cycling. He described Lance Armstrong, his Motorola teammate, as one of the strongest advocates of doping when the team decided to dope. “He was the instigator,” Swart told Sports Illustrated. “It was his words that pushed us toward doing it.” [2] Swart also described his own doping.

When he initially made his disclosures, he was vilified and called a loser. Later, in 2012, he was named the 'New Zealander of the Year' for having told the truth.[3][4]

Swart also testified, under oath in 2006, that he was paid $50,000 to lose a race, by Armstrong.[5]

Major results

1988
8th Fleche Hesbignonne
9th Grand Prix de Plumelec-Morbihan
1989
7th Philly Cycling Classic
1991
6th Thrift Drug Classic
1992
1st  United States National Criterium Championships
1st Stage 3 Tour of the Adirondacks
2nd Overall Celestial Bicycle Classic
1st Stages 1 & 2
5th Overall Herald Sun Tour
1st Stages 10 & 11
1993
1st Stage 11 Herald Sun Tour
1994
9th Wincanton Classic
1995
4th Overall Tour of Luxembourg
Grand Tour general classification results timeline
Grand Tour 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995
Giro d'Italia
Tour de France DNF 112 109
Vuelta a España

References

  1. "New Zealander emerges from pack Swart 3rd in prologue of Tour Du Pont". 10 May 1991.
  2. "Stephen Swart: Lance Armstrong Was Ringleader in Encouraging Blood Doping". 18 January 2011.
  3. "Walsh on heroes: Andreu, O'Reilly, Swart championed truth - VeloNews.com". 11 January 2013.
  4. @PhilHTaylor, Phil Taylor Senior writer, Weekend Herald and New Zealand Herald phil taylor@nzherald co nz (14 December 2012). "New Zealander of the Year 2012: Stephen Swart" via www.nzherald.co.nz.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  5. "Lance Armstrong Accused of Paying Competitors to Lose Races by Fellow Cyclist Stephen Swart (Video)". 20 October 2012.

Sources

  • Des Williams (2006). Born to Thunder: Champions of New Zealand Cycling. Last Side Publishing, Hamilton. pp. 252–264. ISBN 0-473-10929-8. Jack & Steven Swart: Serious Tour riders
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