Denver – Allegations of cheating have cast a pall over
last month's local Bike to Work Day celebration and brought renewed
calls for more stringent testing policies.
An estimated 23,00 bicylists hopped on their bikes for the June 27 event that encourages residents to pedal instead of using the gas pedal. But the goodwill of that day has now been steamrolled by apeloton of accusations.
"It's a shame," said Bike to Work participant Felix Taveras. "You're trying to do something positive and people ruin it."
Speculation about the overall integrity of the event began shortly after Denver lawyer Steven Goldsmith, who lives in the Cherry Hills area, made it to the office of his downtown Denver law firm in a stunning 15 minutes. Goldsmith later tested positive for a banned blood transfusion.
That was followed by a July 4 revelation that Kristi Nedke, a 16th Street Mall coffee barista, rode her bike partly to work from her apartment near Santa Fe Drive and Lowell Boulevard. A fellow biker stepped forward and alleged that he saw Nedke load her bike onto the front of an RTD bus at Speer Boulevard, near the Pepsi Center, and ride the remainder of her way to work.
"I was aghast," said Nick Taylor, who came forward with the allegation. He said he has grainy footage of Nedke stepping into the bus.
When reached for comment, Nedke angrily denied that she cheated and asked if there was any interest in her store's new compliation CD that includes previously unreleased work by Norah Jones as well as a duet between Elvis Costello and Bonnie Raitt.
The allegations prompted Gov. Bill Ritter, also a Bike to Work participant, to form a task force to examine similar speculation about cheating.
"We must ensure that residents biking to work are clean and not impugning the sanctity of this great day," he said.
Experts say it may be too little too late.
"There have always been questions about the honesty of these events," said University of Denver Social Sciences professor Dave Durbisky. "Obviously, if someone is driving to work 360 days a year, stopping every morning at McDonald's to get a sausage McMuffin and hash browns, then you question their ability to suddenly hop on a bicycle and effortlessy commute to work."
Durbisky said time will tell if the allegations curtail future participation.
"Americans are already fat and lazy," he said. "If we're asking them to participate in a grueling annual excerise where others might be cheating – that's a tough sell."
