Over the seasons that followed, Clark confirmed his early promise with a couple of Australian time trial championships. That rider is Nick Clark, and in this version of his life he is a 44-year-old former professional cyclist.Īs a teenager, he’d emerged from obscurity to win a bronze medal for Australia in the 1993 Junior Road World Championships – a breakthrough result that set him on a pathway to the European pro peloton.

The sun dapples through the trees, casting the scene in a green and gold glow. On a tree-lined road near Great Falls, a small figure on an expensive road bike rides up the hill. It’s a clear, early autumn day in a privileged, pristine pocket of Fairfax County, on the fringes of Washington DC. Nicholas Paul Clark’s downfall begins on a Thursday in September, 2019. Chapter 1 Prelude: National championships, Worlds medals || Chapter 2 The KOM: Motor-doping, digital-doping or just plain doping? || Chapter 3 The Worlds: Wrong guy, wrong place || Chapter 4 The Teams: AG2R, Chazal, Casino, or none of them? || Chapter 5 The Australian: A man unknown by his peers || Chapter 6 The Shop: A chance for rebirth || Chapter 7 The Coach: An illustrious career || Chapter 8 The Tragedy: A death in the night || Chapter 9 The Women’s Team: Inclusivity turns toxic || Chapter 10 The Performance Centre: Essential oils and sports psychology || Chapter 11 The Sponsorships: East Coast institutions || Chapter 12 The Fake Team: A Roubaix start for a team that doesn’t exist || Chapter 13 The Method: Edits, editorials, advertorials || Chapter 14 The Backstory: A glittering academic record || Chapter 15 The CEO: Senators, Generals, $Millions || Chapter 16 The Military Man: Medals, missions and make-believe? || Chapter 17 The Endgame: The truth comes out || Chapter 18 The Reinvention: A violent new path || Chapter 19 The Reflection: An avalanche of little deceptions || Chapter 20 The Curtain Closes: Clark’s final performance. This is the strange tale of the unravelling of a years-long deception – the ‘Catch Me If You Can’-like story of a man with a claimed past as a pro cyclist, a soldier, a CEO, a lawyer, an author, an academic, a hostage responder, and a weapons instructor. Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members!Īustralian cyclist Nick Clark built a loyal following at his Virginia bike shop, based in part on his national and international results and a lengthy professional career. There was just one problem: none of it was true.

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