If you did a google search for “Kenny Williams Cyclist”, the first result you would find in the search rankings would be for his personal blog. The short description reads “Welcome to Kenny Williams cycling blog. Occasionally there will be posts here to thrill you with tales of what it’s like to lay the smackdown in a bike race …”

You know what? I have raced against Kenny on a few occasions, mostly at USA Cycling Masters National Championship Events when they were held in Park City, Utah. In the 35-39 criterium event, I found myself in a 6 man breakaway with Kenny and 4 other riders. It was a technical course with a screaming downhill, and an off-camber turn that seemed to be too hard for most of the field to figure out. Our group lapped the field at least once. At a certain part in the race, they stopped pulling people who were lapped, and it was a clusterfuck going into the last few laps. I kicked myself after that race for not attacking and taking a flier with one lap to go because I’m guessing the other riders would have watched Kenny for just long enough, it would have been game over. But I didn’t. I waited for the sprint. He won, I got 4th.

So, Kenny, I guess I was one of the racers who was out there when you got to “lay the smackdown.” On many occasions after that race in Park City, I have thought about how nice it would have been to win that day, and pull on the Stars and Stripes while holding my baby daughter on the podium. I just got beat by a couple riders who were just a hair faster. That’s life. But then I see the recent news about Kenny testing positive for taking DHEA. Says he only used it on one occasion to help get back in top form after an injury. Says he’s sorry. The problem with dopers is this: where there is smoke, there is fire.

What should his penalty be for failing both A and B samples? Serve 2 years suspension then be able to come back and compete as a 44 year old? I think I just found the motivation to start racing again, since in 2 years, we would still be in the same age class. It would be interesting to see what sort of smackdown old Kenny could deliver on this anonymous Masters racer at Nationals. Who’s with me?