CANVEY cyclist George Wood admits criticism aimed at Richardsons-Trek after one of his team-mates was banned for doping has been hard to take.

Andy Hastings was given a four-year ban by UK Anti-Doping after testing positive for two anabolic steroids in December. He has since been sacked by the team, although the effects of Hastings’ action hit the Leigh-on-Sea team in more ways than one.

Wood, 20, and team-mate Rhys Howells lost the silver medals they won alongside Hastings at the National Time-Trial Championship last May.

And Wood says he can’t shake the feeling his team has been tarred with the same brush ever since, after a hugely impressive 2015 season.

“I wouldn’t wish what is happening on any team,” said Wood. “It is not nice to go through, especially for guys like Andy Lyons and Dean Shannon who have worked so hard to make this team what it is and for someone to put it at jeopard is sad to see.

“It was sad we lost the silver medal we won at the time-trial championships, as I will never be able to get that race and that medal back. But you have to pick yourself and your team back up.

“We have heard other teams make reference to what happened, and heard some false accusations thrown at us as well, but if we had known what was going on we would have dealt with it.

“But to hear fellow cyclists saying these kind of things about you isn’t nice, when they make reference to ‘the team in orange’. But sometimes you have to be the better person and rise above it.

“We are looking for a fresh start this year and I am looking forward to a cracking season.”

Wood has just returned from a training camp in Lanzarote, where he has been training alongside team-mates Simon Alexander and new addition Jez McCann, plus professional cyclist Alex Dowsett.

He cycled 500 miles in the week he was abroad, and Wood said he has been desperate to get back on the bike, as he targets a strong finish in a premier road race.

“I have been itching to get back on the bike for a while now as it is where I belong,” he said. “I will start my season at the Jock Wadley Memorial Road Race (on March 13), and I feel sharp. I feel physically stronger and more refined. Im looking forward to it.

“I have set my targets for the new season.

“I would love to finish in the top five of a premier race. I finished 12th in the Ryedale GP last year so getting a top five finish would be great for me, and I feel good.”

Wood added it was great to work alongside World Tour pro Dowsett, as they clocked up the miles in the sunny Canary Islands.

“Alex is a real gentleman on and off the bike,” he said. “I would love to do what he is doing and I try to learn as much as I can from people like him. He didn’t have to train with us but he invited us and it has worked out well for everyone.”

 

 

THE TEAM HAS BEEN LET DOWN BY HASTINGS' ACTIONS

 

RICHARDSONS-TREK admitted they felt “hugely disappointed” and “let down” by Andy Hastings after he was banned for doping.

Hastings tested positive for banned substances metenolone and stanozolol, from a urine sample taken at May’s team time-trial, the day before he was named British Masters Champion.

He has since claimed the contamination occurred after from a used syringe he had borrowed to inject vitamin B12 after a gym training session.

Richardson’s-Trek said in a statement: “As an amateur team we have limited control over the actions of individual riders away from the team and we have to trust each rider to exercise the behaviour necessary to maintain the high standards that are expected of them as athletes, both on and off the bike.

“We all feel hugely disappointed by the decisions that Andrew made which have led to this situation.

“His actions have let down the team, our sponsors, as well as our supporters and his former teammates, especially George Wood and Rhys Howells, with whom he rode the National team time trial.

“It unfortunately casts a shadow over all of the team’s hard work.”