Nope.

After Lemond, and before Lance, there was Doug Shapiro. His resume is as good as anyone who ever sat on a slim saddle. Winner of the Coors Classic, a member of the 1980 and €˜84 Olympic teams, two Tours de France, a teammate of Lemond, Eric Heiden, Bob Roll and Jim Ochowicz, and on and on.

But while many of his friends have kept themselves in the public eye, Shapiro has been quietly working behind the scenes. He dismounted his pro bike in the late €˜80s, and after years in high tech in the SF Bay Area hes finally following his true passion.

Shapiro is now an expert witness in bicycle litigation cases. Whether the topic is crashes, defects, hazards or injuries, Doug could be the ultimate expert. In addition to his years in the pro peleton, hes also been hit by a car. Twice. He knows what its like to be in both physical and mental pain, and it all goes back to his days as a junior racer.

“We were racing in Pennsylvania, and a few of us went out on a ride one morning, Shapiro said. “Some went in one direction, some went in another. When we got back, we found out that one of the guys who went in the other direction was hit by a drunk driver.

Mike Walters was the unfortunate victim of that accident. It left an indelible impact on Shapiro. “At eight in the morning were all healthy happy kids and by five in the afternoon, Mike was a quadriplegic.

For Shapiro, it was a hard slap in the face with the reality of road cycling. “Until you actually go through something like that, and realize what it does to you, it never really hits home.

Shapiro pushed on to an exceptional career as a pro cyclist, but in the back of his mind was the lingering ambition to help people like Walters.

“Mikes family didnt have that much money, Shapiro said. “The guy struggled for most of his life as a quadriplegic in a wheel chair. I just said to myself that if theres ever day I can give back to the cycling community, I want to do that.

That incident shaped Shapiros thinking, and his attitude, for years to come. And it led directly to his work in bicycle injury litigation.

“Ive been representing my fallen brethren. I want to help them live a somewhat painless life.

His two careers in cycling, both as a pro rider and an expert witness, have opened Shapiros eyes, and taught him to take nothing for granted. “A lot of people dont realize that when youre out there riding your bike you might not come back from your ride.

Shapiro strongly suggests that everyone who rides should have some kind of supplemental insurance, just in case. “In the event that there is a catastrophic accident, you dont want to worry about how to pay the mortgage for a few years.

So, how has all of this impacted Dougs own personal riding? “I have become extremely cautious on my bicycle. When I ride, I take into consideration so many variables. And I do a very thorough inspection of my own bike before every ride. It only takes five minutes.

And while his contemporaries are out riding 200-plus miles per week, doing big group rides and hammering all the hills of Marin County, Shapiro is content to just cruise around every now and then. “Ill get out maybe once or twice a week, for 25 to 50 miles, and I mostly ride by myself or with one other person.

But it is ironic. The guy who used to compete with 200 pros in the Tour now rides virtually alone. “I dont like to ride in large groups. Safety in numbers doesnt work in cycling.

He has nothing else to prove on the bike. His resume speaks for itself. But all of us who ride could learn a lesson or two from Doug Shapiros experiences, both on and off the bike.

Editor's note: Doug Shapiro will be a regular contributor to CycleTo. Doug will share both his legal know-how, and stories from his days in the pro peleton, on a regular basis.