Phil Zajicek

Career summary

Zajicek, a former Junior National Champion, and a Boulder, Colorado, resident, competed throughout the United States and was known as one of the country's top domestic riders, finishing ahead of Lance Armstrong and Levi Leipheimer in Stage 5 of the 2009 Tour of the Gila. Climbing nearly 10,000 feet over 100 miles, through the Continental Divide and the high desert plains and mountains of New Mexico, Zajicek was the only athlete able to match and set pace with Armstrong and Leipheimer, besting both by multiple bicycle lengths in the final uphill sprint, after nearly 5 hours of aggressive racing as Armstrong and Leipheimer prepared for that year's Tour de France, two months later, where Armstrong finished third overall. Stage 5 of the Tour of the Gila, also known as the "Gila Monster Stage", is widely believed to be the most difficult road course in the United States. Zajicek also extensively competed in many of the world's toughest and most renowned Pro Tour Road Races, such as the Midi Libre, Biciclista Vasca, Classique des Alpes, Dauphine Libre, Route du Sud, GP Plouay, and the Tour de L’avenir. Zajicek was a key rider in 2005 for the U.S. National Team during the UCI World Championships in Madrid, Spain. For 2011, Zajicek signed a lucrative professional contract for the ill-fated Pegasus Professional Cycling Team Project, but was left without a team after the Australian squad was denied a Professional UCI License.

Doping

In 2004, USADA reported that Zajicek tested positive for cathine (norpseudoephedrine), at the Tour of Qinghai Lake on July 22, 2004, in China. Zajicek, then 25, was disqualified from his first-place overall finish at the race and fined 666 Swiss francs, but he did not draw a suspension from competition Zajicek steadfastly denied any intention to dope and claimed he consumed an over-the-counter cold medicine that metabolized into a prohibited substance. Cathine is the metabolite of a legal supplement and USADA agreed with this analysis, subsequently modifying their protocols for testing norpsuedoephedrine from 2004 onward.

On June 10, 2011, USADA announced that had Zajicek accepted a life-ban from competition due to alleged doping violations. According to USADA CEO Travis T. Tygart, Zajicek also pleaded no contest to a second doping violation for allegedly purchasing erythropoietin (EPO), and pleaded no contest to a third doping offense for allegedly providing false testimony at an American Arbitration Association ("AAA") hearing. The AAA is a private enterprise in the business of arbitrating civil disagreements and is not a court of law, nor does the AAA have any judicial powers. Zajicek was also accused of allegedly encouraging other witnesses to provide inaccurate testimony. Zajicek was fined $5,000, though neither the USADA nor the AAA has any means of collecting funds from athletes. Therefore, it is unlikely Zajicek will ever be required to pay the sum in question, unless he voluntarily decides to pay the fine.

Palmares

"As a result of the sanction, Zajicek is also disqualified from all competitive results obtained on and subsequent to April 24, 2007, including forfeiture of any medals, points, and prizes."

Riding injury

Zajicek had a serious crash in March 2016 while descending Flagstaff Mountain in Boulder, Colorado. His arm was completely severed along with numerous other injuries.