Dekker to provide information to WADA

Thomas Dekker is to meet with WADA officials in the coming weeks. The Dutch rider, who came back from a two-year doping suspension in July, has offered to cooperate with the sport's anti-doping body.

In a letter addressed to David Howan, Dekker states: "I am fully disposable and cooperative with regard to possible questions you might have in connection with my knowledge of doping in the world of professional cycling."

The letter was dated April of this year, during Dekker's suspension, but Cyclingnews understands that the rider will travel to Lausanne, Switzerland in the coming weeks for what could be one of the most important discussions on doping in recent years. Dekker served a two year ban for EPO use but was also embroiled in the Human Plasma case.

"I've chosen to be 100 per cent transparent and forthcoming to WADA about my past, not to rectify past wrongs, but to help them test more effectively and to prevent doping in the future," Dekker told Cyclingnews via email.

"My 2 years have been served, in their entirety, so speaking to WADA isn't a ''deal'' to help them with some ongoing investigation, it’s simply my own desire to try and help out going forward. I can help them make sport better. Period.''

The rider has yet to sign a contract for next season but has been committed to a future at Garmin-Cervélo. He rode for their development team in the second half of this season and won the Duo Normand two-man team time trial with Garmin-Cervélo's Johan Van Summeren. However, a crash has forced him off the bike in recent weeks.

Despite that, Dekker has aimed at rehabilitating his career in the same fashion as David Millar – as a vocal rider in the fight against doping, who himself rides for Garmin.

In August, Dekker told Cyclingnews that Garmin were his primary choice. "Since January 2010 I have always had the goal to make a comeback with Jonathan Vaughters' team. I am not there yet, but I am on the right path. It's a long path, with tests, commitments and now a place in their 'second team.' I learned from my mistakes, and coming back with the clean team will be the ultimate victory for myself and the perfect fit from rider perspective.

"I hope I am given another chance, but I understand that it isn't as simple as just asking to be forgiven and then jumping back into the top level. I will earn it. Slowly and patiently. And I will show that I can be a positive force in cycling."
 

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Daniel Benson

Daniel Benson was the Editor in Chief at Cyclingnews.com between 2008 and 2022. Based in the UK, he joined the Cyclingnews team in 2008 as the site's first UK-based Managing Editor. In that time, he reported on over a dozen editions of the Tour de France, several World Championships, the Tour Down Under, Spring Classics, and the London 2012 Olympic Games. With the help of the excellent editorial team, he ran the coverage on Cyclingnews and has interviewed leading figures in the sport including UCI Presidents and Tour de France winners.