Filip Meirhaeghe
Encyclopedia
Filip Meirhaeghe is a Belgian racing cyclist. His primary focus was in mountain bike racing
, however, he has also taken part in elite road
, cyclo-cross
and track cycling
. He has won four Mountain Bike World Championships
medals, one Olympic medal and a total of eleven mountain bike World Cup events. In the final years of his racing career he raced for the bicycle manufacturer Specialized Bicycle Components
on the mountain bike and for the professional team Domina Vacanze-Elitron
on the road.
, Meirhaeghe admitted to having used EPO
. He tested positive during the World Cup in Mont Sainte-Anne, Quebec (Canada
) and unlike most racers did not argue the validity of the test. During a press conference he admitted he used EPO simply because of his desire to win gold at the Olympic Games in Athens. He also announced at that time he would stop racing and retire. He wrote a book called Positief, which tells the story of his life as an athlete and the consequences of his positive test. (issued by Davidsfonds
- Dutch only).
(Belgium
). He retired again in September 2009.
Mountain bike racing
The Union Cycliste Internationale recognised the sport of mountain bike racing relatively late in 1990, when it sanctioned the world championships in Purgatory, Colorado. The first mountain biking world cup series took place in 1991. Its nine-race circuit covered two continents—Europe and North...
, however, he has also taken part in elite road
Road bicycle racing
Road bicycle racing is a bicycle racing sport held on roads, using racing bicycles. The term "road racing" is usually applied to events where competing riders start simultaneously with the winner being the first to the line at the end of the course .Historically, the most...
, cyclo-cross
Cyclo-cross
Cyclo-cross is a form of bicycle racing. Races typically take place in the autumn and winter , and consists of many laps of a short course featuring pavement, wooded trails, grass, steep hills and...
and track cycling
Track cycling
Track cycling is a bicycle racing sport usually held on specially built banked tracks or velodromes using track bicycles....
. He has won four Mountain Bike World Championships
Mountain Bike World Championships
The UCI Mountain Bike & Trials World Championships are the world championship events for mountain bike racing events in cross country, downhill, four-cross and trials riding events. It is organized by the Union Cycliste Internationale , and winners are presented with a gold medal and are entitled...
medals, one Olympic medal and a total of eleven mountain bike World Cup events. In the final years of his racing career he raced for the bicycle manufacturer Specialized Bicycle Components
Specialized Bicycle Components
Specialized Bicycle Components, more commonly known simply as Specialized, is a major American brand of bicycles and related products. It was founded in 1974 by Mike Sinyard and is based in Morgan Hill, California-History:...
on the mountain bike and for the professional team Domina Vacanze-Elitron
Domina Vacanze
Domina Vacanze is a hotel group based in Italy. They are best known for the professional cycling team they sponsored. For the 2005 season the team competed in the 2005 UCI ProTour however they didn't have the budget of the other teams and produced very few wins...
on the road.
Positive test results
On 29 July 2004, just before the 2004 Summer Olympics2004 Summer Olympics
The 2004 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad, was a premier international multi-sport event held in Athens, Greece from August 13 to August 29, 2004 with the motto Welcome Home. 10,625 athletes competed, some 600 more than expected, accompanied by 5,501 team...
, Meirhaeghe admitted to having used EPO
Erythropoietin
Erythropoietin, or its alternatives erythropoetin or erthropoyetin or EPO, is a glycoprotein hormone that controls erythropoiesis, or red blood cell production...
. He tested positive during the World Cup in Mont Sainte-Anne, Quebec (Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
) and unlike most racers did not argue the validity of the test. During a press conference he admitted he used EPO simply because of his desire to win gold at the Olympic Games in Athens. He also announced at that time he would stop racing and retire. He wrote a book called Positief, which tells the story of his life as an athlete and the consequences of his positive test. (issued by Davidsfonds
Davidsfonds
The Davidsfonds is a Catholic organisation in Flanders, Belgium with the purpose of promoting the Flemish culture in the areas of literature, history and art....
- Dutch only).
End of retirement
Filip was suspended from professional racing based on his positive test result until 14 January 2006. On 1 January 2006 he announced he would resume racing. He signed a three year contract to race for Landbouwkrediet-Colnago on the road and Versluys-Landbouwkrediet-Sportstech on mountain bikes. He made his come back during the beach-race of OostduinkerkeOostduinkerke
Oostduinkerke is a popular seaside resort in the Belgian province of West Flanders. The name Oostduinkerke translates as 'East Dunkirk'. The town originally shared its name with the French city of Dunkirk; therefore, in the 13th century, 'Oost-' was added to its name to avoid confusion with its...
(Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
). He retired again in September 2009.
Major racing achievements
- 2000 Summer Olympics2000 Summer OlympicsThe Sydney 2000 Summer Olympic Games or the Millennium Games/Games of the New Millennium, officially known as the Games of the XXVII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated between 15 September and 1 October 2000 in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia...
- Silver: 2000 - Sydney (AUS)
- Mountain Bike World Championships
- Gold: 2003 - Lugano (SUI)
- Silver: 2002 - Kaprun (AUT)
- Bronze: 1998 - Mont Sainte-Anne (CAN)
- Bronze: 1999 - Åre (SWE)
- Mountain Bike World Cup
- Winner: 2002
- European XC MTB Championships
- Champion: 2000
- Belgian XC MTB Championships
- Champion: 1996, 1998, 2000, 2001
- Belgian Downhill National Championships
- Champion 1994
- Paris–Roubaix mountain bike
- Winner: 1997, 2002
See also
- List of doping cases in cycling
- List of sportspeople sanctioned for doping offences