Stuart O'Grady has graced many podiums in a decorated cycling career spanning 22 years but he has been humbled since his forced retirement ater admitting to doping at the 1998 Tour de France.
O'Grady continues to deny he doped more than once, at a time when the sport was blackened by doping scandals and drug cheats.
"I still feel ashamed of doing it," he said. "I'm pretty disappointed that you keep kind of getting put into the basket that you must have cheated your whole career"
Despite the circulating rumours of the drug culture that existed, O'Grady says he was never exposed to or offered products, or was aware of the practices involving riders from other teams.
"I never witnessed anyone else dope," he said.
"You've got to understand that back then it was a pretty taboo subject, especially if you weren't involved in systematic doping."
The cyclist reveals all in a new book but admits had his name not been linked to a French senate inquiry he would have taken his secret "to his grave"
"I probably still could have denied it, I was never on the positive list. I was on the suspicious list, so I guess I could have kept denying it," he said.
