During this year’s Tour de France, avid amateur cyclists Chris and Kristy Buirge of Highlands Ranch have awakened every morning to watch the 94th annual race live on television.
But the couple has learned to temper its enthusiasm about the stage winners and overall leader in a race marred by failed drug tests, doping allegations and innuendo.
After American Levi Leiphei- mer won Saturday’s 19th stage, the Buirges figured they would delay their red, white and blue celebration until results of Leipheimer’s drug tests are announced.
“If someone does well, the first thing that comes into your mind is, ‘Is he clean?”‘ said Chris Buirge, 35. “You almost think negatively.”
“You wonder if he’s the next one to get caught for doping,” Kristy Buirge added.
“It’s really sad. You’re not really so happy for him. You think, ‘My gosh, he did so well, was there something illegal involved in it?’ That’s really sad for the sport.”
Centennial resident and semipro racer Byron Nix, Colorado’s two-time over-35 masters champion (2005, 2007), said this year’s Tour has been “painful to watch.”
Nix is a fan of Alexandre Vino- kourov, the star cyclist who was expelled from the Tour on Tuesday for testing positive for a banned blood transfusion.
At least three other high-profile riders have been booted for failed drug tests or doping allegations, including Michael Rasmussen, who bowed out Wednesday while he was the overall leader.
“It’s a shame for cycling to find out somebody like that is cheating,” Nix said about Vinokourov. “And then other guys get caught. It’s hard to watch because it’s like all your heroes are going down.”
Still, the 40-year-old Nix follows the tour daily.
“I’m still interested in watching the Tour, but I’m an avid cyclist,” he said. “If I wasn’t so into it, I would lose all interest. It’s just a shame.”
Nix races in some pro events on the Front Range and never has seen riders tested for drugs.
Questioning lower-level riders about using performance-enhancing drugs is not something he’s heard before, but one that could come into play after so many elite-level riders have been charged.
“Unlike baseball or other sports, cycling is all about strength,” Nix said.
“It comes down to the strongest rider, and there are proven results in banned substances. … I’ve never heard of someone like me taking those drugs, but you never know.”
As long as there is doubt, competitive cycling will lose its fan appeal, the Buirges said.
“They put in so much effort to do so well, and it’s such a long race, it’s just so sad to see so much controversy, especially for the ones doing it honestly,” Kristy Buirge said.
Scott Hornick of Littleton was riding in Castle Pines on Saturday, unaware of and unconcerned about the race in France.
He is into pushing his body to the limit, but without flagrantly breaking the rules.
“As a rider, you hope that people competing at that level have the integrity to manage themselves,” Hornick said. “If you don’t have integrity within themselves, they’ll always find a way around (being legal).
“As a sport, it’s very unfortunate.”
Staff writer Mike Chambers can be reached at 303-954-1357 or mchambers@denverpost.com.
