Australia's Michael Rogers celebrates on podium after winning the 11th stage of the Giro d'Italia. Source: Marco Alpozzi / AP
MICHAEL Rogers described it as like "a rainbow at the end of a tunnel".
Successfully fighting back from the dead — figuratively speaking — is always an emotional experience, and the veteran Australian road cyclist's unexpected victory in stage 11 of the Giro d'Italia on was no exception.
It came a month after he awoke from the nightmare of a positive drug test that threatened to kill off his long and successful career.
Cycling's controlling body, the UCI, lifted the indefinite ban imposed after Rogers tested positive to the cattle drug clenbuterol after winning the Japan Cup in October.
In consultation with the World Anti-Doping Agency, the UCI said there was a "significant possibility" he had eaten contaminated meat in China before racing in Japan, which was always what Rogers insisted must have occurred.
Rogers, 34, known as a hardworking team player, is a popular figure in the peloton, so there was widespread applause when he carried the Tinkoff-Saxo colours across the line 10 seconds ahead of the pack at the end of the 249km journey from Collecchio to Savona.
With Cadel Evans protecting his 57sec lead — and one of his specialties, a time-trial, to follow — the punters on social media are now referring to the "Giro d'Australia".
The Australian team Orica-GreenEDGE has won three stages and kept young sprinter Michael Matthews in the leader's jersey for six days. Evans, the only other rider since day two to have worn it, remains a warm favourite to become the first Australian to win the race.
Rogers is a triple world champion in the time-trial but this was his first stage victory in any of the three Grand Tours.
"It only took 12 years to win a stage of a Grand Tour. Hope it doesn't take another 12 to win again," he tweeted.
His relief at being back on the bike shone through in an emotional interview posted on cyclingnews.com.
"It's been a difficult period, but there is always light at the end of the tunnel. There are always difficult moments in life but today I can see a rainbow," he said.
"I tried to live my life as a rider but I had a lot of anger at first. We realised that didn't help so I kept my head down. I kept training at 100 per cent even though I was unable to race."
Rogers would not say how much his legal battle had cost him, but it had been worth it.
His Tinkoff teammate Alberto Contador — the best cyclist in the world at the time — was stripped of one of his three Tour de France wins when he tested positive to the same drug.
The Rogers case could become a landmark in the sports doping fight because it is now clear authorities accept the controversial substance can cause trouble for innocent athletes. The question is, what are they going to do about it?
Apart from warning riders not to eat meat in countries such as China and Mexico, where it is used on livestock, the UCI has said only that it will continue to monitor the situation case by case.
ron.reed@news.com.au
Twitter: @Reedrw
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