Behind the mask: Bicyclist has long, uphill ride to get back to the top

Instead of using steroids, EPO or other performance-enhancing drugs, Clinger said, he turned to illegal drugs and alcohol to cope with the torture he put his body through.

Climbing again

With his family growing increasingly worried, Clinger was convinced to enter a drug treatment program in Utah where he could distance himself from some of the bad influences in California, where he had been living and training, while also having a support system of relatives who lived in the state.

Focused on getting and staying sober, Clinger lost much of his fitness and gained weight. In a sport where athletes, bikes and gear are compared in not pounds but grams, Clinger said he topped out at 215 pounds — 45 more than his ideal cycling weight.

"I didn't train," he said. "Getting clean was my biggest priority."

Knowing his cycling was something that could help, he soon got back on the bike and joined the Park City-based Cole Sports racing team.

While trying to find a job to help offset the cost of his treatment at The Ark of Little Cottonwood — a residential treatment center — and fill the hours with positive activities, Clinger is seeking to return to the ranks of professional cycling. He has moved on to a transitional home and he trains relentlessly, often joining local pros such as Jeff Louder, Darren Lill and Swindlehurst for long rides in Utah's canyons.

"I haven't seen much of a difference in him as far as his personality goes," said Swindlehurst, who said he first raced with Clinger more than a decade ago when the tattoos and drug use were far in the future. "The David Clinger I saw 10, 12 years ago was a quiet and reserved guy. That's the same guy I see now."

A couple of weeks ago, Clinger placed second in the state road race championship in a sprint to the line and has top 10 finishes at the state time trial and criterium championships as well. He is a frequent participant in the local criterium series and has three victories there as he continues his comeback.

Recently, his Cole Sport team was invited to participate in August's Tour of Utah — one of the biggest professional races on the National Racing Calendar.

"My body just wouldn't handle 215 pounds. ... but the form is coming back. That makes me feel confident than I can win. And that's huge for me," he said. "I'm riding fast. Maybe after the Tour of Utah I'll contact some teams and see if they have a spot for me."

Clinger is also having his facial tattoos removed — this time for good, he said. The ink used to mask his face, he said, is easier to remove than other kinds used for tatoos.