TYLER ON THE JUICE?

[the other Steve Dennis]

Tyler Tunes: A letter from Haven
By Haven Hamilton
This report filed September 24, 2004

"This update is coming to you from Haven Hamilton. I'm Tyler's wife. I wanted to post a note of appreciation to all of you who are standing behind Tyler and I during this very difficult ordeal. The outpouring of support has been overwhelming and is appreciated more than you can imagine. Tyler is innocent of the charges against him and we will do everything we can, with every resource we have to make this clear.

I have known Tyler since 1996 and we have been married for almost six years. When I met him he was a neo-pro bike racer who competed primarily in the United States. Back in the day, we had no idea Tyler's career would reach the heights that it has. But we've been grateful for every opportunity he's been provided through racing and have made the most of what I often refer to as - one incredible adventure.

After ten years of working for an advertising agency back in Boston I left my job to join Tyler full time in Europe. The weeks and months apart were taking a toll on our relationship and it was clear that if Tyler was going to excel overseas he needed an on-sight support network.

Some people probably assume that athletes who make it to the professional level were born gifted, and that it's the gift they possess that allows them to make a living doing what they love. But the gift is only the beginning. Tyler and I have met many talented cyclists over the years who never make the jump to Division 1. So many things can railroad a career. A bad season, a lack of support, a team folding. the list of variables stacked against a kid who wants to rise up to the highest level of this sport is endless. The ones who make it have to above all, love what they are doing, be dedicated beyond compare, and have luck and forward momentum on their side.

And this is all just for starters. When Tyler began racing in Europe, he quickly realized he was starting anew as an athlete. Although he had been a successful cyclist in the U.S., he had to begin the process of proving himself all over again. It was clear that success back home did not guarantee success in Europe.

For the first time in his life he was told he was "over-weight," "didn't train hard enough," "didn't eat right," "wasn't dedicated enough." This was pretty shocking considering he had been a successful skier, soccer player, sail boat racer, little leaguer and cyclist all his life. But Tyler took the advice of his new mentors, and as he would say - "stepped up" his dedication and focus.

Tyler's steady progression over the last eight seasons here in Europe has been a result of his ability to put cycling first in his life. I have often joked that I ranked third behind the bike and dog in Tyler's world. But there is some truth to this. Since 1997, the bike has been first. Tyler has been a cyclist 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year without exception.

This means that everything about our daily lives has been centered around his career. The way we eat, what we eat, where we live, how we rest, how often we see our friends and family, how often we go out to dinner, where we go out dinner, where we go, what we do - has all depended on what has been most suitable for Tyler's legs. This takes discipline and dedication that we have often times found ourselves having to explain over and over. "Yes, I know it's Christmas, but Tyler has to ride his bike today." "The wedding isn't until 5 o'clock. He'll be back from his ride in time." "I know you spent all day preparing dinner, but Tyler can't eat that."

But the sacrifices have been worth it. Every season Tyler has managed to set the bar a little higher for himself and reach a new height that he hadn't reached before. But he has also been very "human" on the bike. One thing that separates Tyler from other athletes in my mind is that he has never been afraid to fail. So many times he has finished a race several minutes behind the leaders when it would have been easier to climb into a team car and go home.

If his career has proven nothing else, it's that cycling is a humbling and unforgiving sport. One that no human being can be good at 100 percent of the time. Tyler accepts this. This is why he has always said that you can't get too carried away when things are going well, and you can't get too down when things aren't. The racing season is nearly ten months long. Peaks and valleys in performance are as prevalent as peaks and valleys on course profiles.

This season has been no exception. Tyler was very disappointed to have to abandon the Tour de France with his back injury. Although his efforts in the 2003 Tour reinforced the valuable lesson - that no one should give up on anything without a fight; Tyler also recognized that he punished his body by pushing it through that race with a broken collarbone. He paid dearly throughout the rest of the summer and fall. It took him a very long time to recover from that effort. So this year, he knew from experience what the consequences could be if he continued on with his injury. That's why he stopped the race, rested and refocused his fight on the Olympics. He still fought back, but in a different place.

At the end of the day, Tyler will tell you he loves his bike, his career, his team, racing and his life overseas. But he will also admit this is just bike racing. He has proven he is willing to dedicate his life to this sport, but he is not willing to risk his life for it.

Transfusing blood from a foreign source is dangerous business. We know this because our dog Tugboat faced the need for a transfusion in June. He had been bleeding internally and had lost over half his blood supply. When the veterinarian recommended a transfusion we agonized over the option for the better part of week. We feared contamination and disease. Only when the situation became "life or death" did we opt to move forward.

When a second transfusion was needed, we reluctantly moved forward again. This time, the effects were devastating. Tugboat was left paralyzed on the left side of his face in reaction to the blood. He never recovered. His final days were more uncomfortable as a result.

With the dangers of transfusing blood so fresh in our minds, it is ridiculous to think Tyler would consider taking another person's blood.

When Tyler won his gold medal in Athens he achieved a life long dream. That medal is his payback for years of hard work and dedication.
Tyler was asked to participate in the Vuelta because one of his teammates had an injury that prevented him from going. Tyler and his team stated many times, prior to the race, that there was no pressure on him to lead the team.

His win in the individual time trial there was justification that the time trial training he had done for Athens was right on. That he would go on to lose ten minutes the next day, and an additional 40+ minutes in the days ahead prove once again how human Tyler is.

He could have dropped out of the race after falling out of contention for the general classification, but he wanted to be there for his teammates; to go on riding in support of them, like they have done so often for him. After all, this was why he was there in the first place. This is the essence of bike racing and good sportsmanship. And Tyler has proven many times over that he can weather the ups and downs of competition. He can succeed and fail without making excuses. At the end of the day he knows how lucky he is just to have the opportunity to do what he does for a living. He accepts the highs and lows as if they are both gifts that teach him to take nothing for granted.

Tyler is devastated to be accused of being dishonest. After all the years of hard work he has devoted to his racing career, he feels as though he is being stabbed in the back. He is angry. If we have to drain our bank accounts to get to the bottom of this we will. And when Tyler can speak freely about all of this, he will.

There are a number of questions that have to be answered regarding the situation Tyler now faces in light of the charges against him. We will do everything in our power to address them. Tyler's family, friends, supporters, team and sponsors deserve answers as much as he does. We'll get there. The peaks and valleys ahead will not derail us from clearing Tyler's name.

Thanks for reading. "



That is a letter which can be read on velonews.com.
Don't it make ya wanna cry...............
It's all gone quiet now and I hope he doesnt slip out of the back quietly.

I also wonder if that letter could lead to the conclusion that maybe Tyler accidently received a blood transfusion that had been put aside for Tugboat - oh my God, maybe Tugboat got Tyler's blood and thats why he died!!!!!!

[Will]

Yeah I was wondering what Imax are gonna do.

They've got a bit of a difficult situation on their hands. I don't think it would work if they just ignored the whole issue, cos the press would just go on about it anyway in the reviews, and that would detract from the film.

But adding a little section about his (unconfirmed!) doping at the end would go against the presumed theme, which I would guess to be superhuman endeavour, made all the more impressive by much of the filming being done when Tyler had a broken collar bone.

They're fcuked basically!

[the other Steve Dennis]

Inocent or guilty I reckon the film is sunk.
Did they show it at Cycle 2004, did anyone see any of it?

[David Lombari]

Saw the 10 minute preview of the Tyler film and thought it looked pretty damn good.