Where is chad gerlach

Gerlach has a stage of the Kent Tour of China as well as two stages of the Tour de Langkawi to his name. Thus began a five year period in the Wilderness for Gerlach. PEZ was more than excited at the opportunity to talk to Chad and find out what really happened and what he hopes for this year and beyond. PEZ: Tell us a little about your career and palmares. I had a lot of success in the US as an amateur and a pro. PEZ: Why are you back, why now? My best friend and Sierra team mate, Ryan Smith moved to Sacramento, started dating this woman, then the ex-boyfriend came back and stabbed Ryan to death — I was in shock.

I think that my drug use has been blown out of all proportion; I just got stuck in a homeless, vagabond lifestyle. I was happy to be done with cycling and I just partied — I was young, I was a party animal and I had my addictions. I mean, I get up at 6. It goes in waves, good times, bad times — but there certainly seems to be less performance enhancing dugs around.

My buddies and I would have a smoke of dope and then go on seven hour run in the mountains — it made us appreciate the scenery better! PEZ: Six years off — tough to get back into it?

The show will be broadcast at 9 p. Eastern Time and again Tuesday, June 17 at 1 a. Eastern Time. The program is exactly what its name implies, a television show that serves as intervention of someone in the spiral of drug and or alcohol abuse. Gerlach, 34, who was raised in West Sacramento but now lives in a recovery facility in Auburn, Calif. Few doubted Gerlach had the talent for a successful career at the top level of the sport.

He never rode in a grand tour like the Tour de France, but his nine-year pro career took him around the globe. He was a U. Many of his coaches gave up, called the talented rider uncoachable. He got up early to train before work, putting in two to three hours before his nine-hour shift, and then returning to ride the trainer in the evening. He was motivated to show up to the team's camp with fitness.

Everyone was really surprised that I was fit, and I made the team for the first couple stage races. I'm not the weakest rider on the team either, I think I'm right in the middle. To take any rider who has only raced domestically and toss them into the mix with the quality of riders which were present in the February races in Italy would be cruel.

But for a rider who has only trained for four months after a five and a half year absence the racing was understandably a shock to the system. That Gerlach was able to finish any of the stages is a testament to his natural talent. It's just like I remember racing in Northern France in It's all out even at this time of the year. Races just aren't like this in the US. For me, I'm struggling to hang on. If there are hills in the race, I pretty much get dropped.

I've actually surprised myself. When I do the races I'm not the last guy - I'm actually surprised I'm in groups with guys who have been racing and training for years, which makes me feel pretty good. After a period of rest, Gerlach will be off to France where he hopes the racing will suit his style, or at least have less climbing. The one good thing about the intensity of the racing is that it leaves little time to worry about just about anything else. I can't complain about anything because I've been in a whole lot worse places.

I appreciate it so much - it's amazing. Isn't that how it always is though? For people who are given a second chance, or come back to something after years away - I'm just in awe of it.

I hope people can learn something from me, too. I don't know what makes the story so cool - whether it's the cycling standpoint or the drugs. I'm just happy to be back and I'm going to enjoy it while I'm here. Even if there wasn't one news article about it I'd be happy, because I was miserable and lonely and my life was in ruins. I should be dead after everything I've done.

A lot of people don't make it out of addiction, and I need to remember and be grateful, and do something positive. Sign up to the Cyclingnews Newsletter. You can unsubscribe at any time. For more information about how to do this, and how we hold your data, please see our privacy policy.

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