Amateur cyclist accused of motor doping charged

The amateur cyclist that tried to run over the race director after being suspected of motor doping has been charged, according to authorities.

On Monday, the Routes de l’Oise amateur race witnessed unexpected drama just before the final stage from Crèvecœur-le-Grand to Grandvilliers. During a technical inspection, organizers scrutinized the bike of Giovambattista Iera, a former actor renowned for his roles in cycling films. Known as Jean-Baptiste Iera, he portrayed Fabrice Bouillon in the movie Le vélo de Ghislain Lambert. At the race he was competing for the amateur club AC Bellaingeoise.

Dramatic scene when the accused tried to flee scene

According to an article in Le Parisien, Yannick Matura, an elected official from Beauvais and a former amateur cyclist, described quite the scene. “And the most serious thing about this story is that a volunteer race director ended up on the hood of a car,” he explained. “It is said that money rots everything, but this is just a matter of personal glory.”

Cheating is always wrong, but it’s even more egregious when there’s not even much at stake, he said. “It’s inconceivable to me,” Lenormand added. “Why cheat? There is no money. The winner wins a jersey, a trophy, a bouquet of flowers and…a steak.”

Strange noises from bike

The 53-year-old cyclist was suspected of cheating after a strong performance on Saturday’s stage, with strange noises reportedly coming from his bike. On Monday morning, race director Frédéric Lenormand requested an inspection, but the cyclist allegedly fled to a nearby vehicle to escape.

This form of doping is the absolute worst

“We already had suspicions about potential cheating,” Frédéric Lenormand, who is the president of the Routes de l’Oise and race director, said. “On Saturday, in the stage between Beauvais and Maignelay-Montigny, he caught up with a breakaway in an abnormally fast period of time. On Sunday, several people mentioned an abnormal noise when he was riding.”

Multiple charges

The Le Parisien report said that during the attempted escape, Iera and the driver ran down race director Lenormand. Lenormand stated he was thrown onto the car’s hood for 100 metres before they aborted the maneuver and fled in another direction.

Given the actions of the douchey duo, Frédéric Trinh, the Beauvais prosecutor, said that they have been charged with attempted fraud and aggravated voluntary violence.