Stephen Swart (born Auckland, 5 January 1965) is a former New Zealand
cyclist
Cycling, also, when on a two-wheeled bicycle, called bicycling or biking, is the use of cycles for transport, recreation, exercise or sport. People engaged in cycling are referred to as "cyclists", "bicyclists", or "bikers". Apart from two ...
. He began his professional career with British team,
ANC-Halfords and rode the
1987 Tour de France
The 1987 Tour de France was the 74th edition of the Tour de France, taking place from 1 to 26 July. It consisted of 25 stages over . It was the closest three-way finish in the Tour until the 2007 Tour de France, among the closest overall races i ...
with them. After the ANC team folded later that year, he rode for American teams.
With the
Motorola team, he participated in the 1994 and 1995
Tour de France
The Tour de France () is an annual men's multiple-stage bicycle race primarily held in France, while also occasionally passing through nearby countries. Like the other Grand Tours (the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a España), it consists ...
. He won the
Herald Sun Tour
The Herald Sun Tour is an Australian professional bicycle race held in Melbourne and provincial Victoria, sanctioned by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI). The first tour was held in October 1952 as a six-day event. It is now held annually ...
(Australia) and the
Tour of Canada.
Swart's older brother,
Jack
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, was a top amateur cyclist.
In the
1986 Commonwealth Games
The 1986 Commonwealth Games ( gd, Geamannan a 'Cho-fhlaitheis 1986) were held in Edinburgh, Scotland, between 24 July and 2 August 1986. They were the second Games to be held in Edinburgh. Thirty two of the eligible fifty nine countries (largel ...
he competed in the 4000m team pursuit, the team came second for silver; and in the 4000m individual pursuit.
Doping and cheating revelations
Prompted by his son's taking up racing, Swart spoke up about
doping in cycling
The following is an incomplete list of doping cases and recurring accusations of doping in professional cycling, where doping means "use of physiological substances or abnormal method to obtain an artificial increase of performance." It is neither ...
. He described
Lance Armstrong
Lance Edward Armstrong (''né'' Gunderson; born September 18, 1971) is an American former professional road bicycle racing, road racing cyclist. Regarded as a sports icon for winning the Tour de France seven consecutive times from 1999 Tour de ...
, his Motorola teammate, as one of the strongest advocates of doping when the team decided to dope. “He was the instigator,” Swart told Sports Illustrated. “It was his words that pushed us toward doing it.” Swart also described his own doping.
When he initially made his disclosures, he was vilified and called a loser. Later, in 2012, he was named the 'New Zealander of the Year' for having told the truth.
Swart also testified, under oath in 2006, that he was paid $50,000 to lose a race, by Armstrong.
Major results
;1988
: 8th Fleche Hesbignonne
: 9th
Grand Prix de Plumelec-Morbihan
Grand Prix du Morbihan is a single-day men's road bicycle race held annually in May around Plumelec, in the region of Brittany, France. Since 2020, the race is organised as a 1.Pro event on the UCI ProSeries
The UCI ProSeries is the second tie ...
;1989
: 7th
Philly Cycling Classic
The Philadelphia International Championship was an annual bicycle race held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was described as "America's top international cycling classic, and one of the richest and most prestigious one day races outside of Euro ...
;1991
: 6th
Thrift Drug Classic
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* Syd Thrift (1929–2006), American baseball execut ...
;1992
: 1st
National Criterium Championships
: 1st Stage 3
Tour of the Adirondacks
: 2nd Overall
Celestial Bicycle Classic
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* Objects or events seen in the sky and the following astronomical terms:
** Astronomical object, a naturally occurring physical entity, association, or structure that exists in the observable universe
** Celest ...
::1st Stages 1 & 2
: 5th Overall
Herald Sun Tour
The Herald Sun Tour is an Australian professional bicycle race held in Melbourne and provincial Victoria, sanctioned by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI). The first tour was held in October 1952 as a six-day event. It is now held annually ...
::1st Stages 10 & 11
;1993
: 1st Stage 11
Herald Sun Tour
The Herald Sun Tour is an Australian professional bicycle race held in Melbourne and provincial Victoria, sanctioned by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI). The first tour was held in October 1952 as a six-day event. It is now held annually ...
;1994
: 9th
Wincanton Classic
Wincanton Classic (also known as Leeds International Classic and Rochester International Classic) was a cycling classic taking place in the United Kingdom as part of the UCI Road World Cup.
It was first held in 1989 in Newcastle, moving to Brigh ...
;1995
: 4th Overall
Tour of Luxembourg
The Tour de Luxembourg is an annual stage race in professional road bicycle racing held in Luxembourg. The Tour de Luxembourg is classified as a 2.Pro race, the highest rating below the World Tour, by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), t ...
References
Sources
*
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Swart, Steven
New Zealand male cyclists
1965 births
Living people
Cyclists from Auckland
Commonwealth Games silver medallists for New Zealand
Cyclists at the 1986 Commonwealth Games
Commonwealth Games medallists in cycling
20th-century New Zealand people
Doping cases in cycling
New Zealand sportspeople in doping cases