Bike World News

Chad Gerlach announced his retirement from professional cycling this week, citing a need to focus all of his efforts on staying sober.

Gerlach had made a return to professional cycling after nearly seven years of living on the streets of Sacramento, California as an alcoholic and an addict. Many fans were hoping that the 36 year old America would still have some spark of the promise that he showed in the 1990s. Several months after an intervention and treatment for addiction, Gerlach signed a contract with Italy’s Amore & Vita and turned in surprising results, winning five races and taking the best climber title at the Nature Valley Grand Prix.

Even with the successes, Gerlach had slipped back into addiction by September. He had already signed a contract with Amore & Vita for 2010, be he cites the stress of another year in the spotlight as being one of the factors that drove him back to drinking. He also put part of the blame on the the media attention and the expectations of his fans. He says that retirement has lifted a huge weight from his shoulders and that while the decision was difficult, he feels it is what is best for his life and his family, saying “Today I believe that the achievement of continuous sobriety would be the biggest win of my life.”

Gerlach recently became a father and knows that a return to addiction will cost him the chance to see her grow up. He says that from now on he will, “no longer my battle against opponents, but only against myself, and I will fight to defeat this dark side and find peace and serenity with my entire family.”

Gerlach says that he has not completely written off cycling and will continue to enjoy his passion for the sport as a hobby, possibly competing in some amateur races.

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