My name is Elin - A pro cycling lover's reflections

Heard at the newscast this morning that Roberto Heras has finally given up his aim of becoming a professional again after his suspension. Three-time Tour of Spain winner Roberto Heras has been suspended, after testing positive for EPO, through two years, and his ban ended in October.

He said he has received offers from cycling teams but he accuses the anti-doping code of ethics for being cruel to riders who has served doping bans lately.

"I still don't understand the code of ethics and why ProTour teams can't hire a rider who like me has served his ban. Other top riders will have to quit the peloton because they can't find a team."
  Well, Heras, I think you have misinterpreted something, the anti-doping code of ethics exists because dopers shall have it more difficult to become professional on the highest level again, because the cyclists shall be afraid of losing everything if they do dope. I, myself, think it is good to ban former dopers from riding in the Pro Tour for two years after the suspension ends, 'cause a rider who has doped are more likely to continue doping than a rider who has never doped in his whole career.
  I don't feel pity about those riders who must retire because they have once upon a time doped. I think they deserve it. Why should it be easy for former dopers to continue racing in the ProTour? Isn't it better in that case that new fresh faces have a chance to race professionally instead of those guys who has destroyed the sport's reputation?

Sadly some journalists/people never give up and tell us that the cycling sport is full of dopers, even though their favourite sport is too. The only reason why they can still blame the cycle sport is fuller of dopers than their sport is because the doping tests actually work well nowadays in the cycle sport. They have caught so many cyclists this year that all the headlines that you have seen in papers lately have been black and negative. But in the end it is positive for the sport, as the dopers get punished. It will be least entertaining for some other sport though when their federations request more doping tests 'cause then they will see how it feels to have those dark headlines too. No, next cycling year may be full of dark headlines too, but soon enough fewer riders will dope and we will get a clean sport, just like we want it to be, but some things have to change first.
"Cycling is going through a bad period: teams, organisers, the UCI are at war, there is no unity, so it's very difficult to get out of the crisis," said Roberto Heras according to Marca.
  And to be honest, the organisers and the UCI shall not be enemies; that will only hurt our beloved sport and it doesn't need it. No, become friends instead and try to fight doping together so that the cycling sport can find a bigger audience.