| Stephen Swart | |
| Birth Place: | New Zealand |
| Currentteam: | Retired |
| Discipline: | Road |
| Role: | Rider |
| Proyears1: | 1987 |
| Proteam1: | ANC–Halfords |
| Proyears2: | 1988 |
| Proyears3: | 1989–1993 |
| Proyears4: | 1994–1995 |
| Proteam4: | Motorola |
| Show-Medals: | yes |
Stephen Swart (born Auckland, 5 January 1965) is a former New Zealand cyclist. He began his professional career with British team, ANC-Halfords and rode the 1987 Tour de France with them. After the ANC team folded later that year, he rode for American teams.
With the Motorola team, he participated in the 1994 and 1995 Tour de France. He won the Herald Sun Tour (Australia) and the Tour of Canada.
Swart's older brother, Jack, was a top amateur cyclist.[1]
In the 1986 Commonwealth Games he competed in the 4000m team pursuit, the team came second for silver; and in the 4000m individual pursuit.
Prompted by his son's taking up racing, Swart spoke up about doping in cycling. He described Lance Armstrong, his Motorola teammate, as one of the strongest advocates of doping when the team decided to dope. “He was the instigator,” Swart told Sports Illustrated. “It was his words that pushed us toward doing it.” [2] Swart also described his own doping.
When he initially made his disclosures, he was vilified and called a loser. Later, in 2012, he was named the 'New Zealander of the Year' for having told the truth.[3] [4]
Swart also testified, under oath in 2006, that he was paid $50,000 to lose a race, by Armstrong.[5]
| Grand Tour general classification results timeline | ||||||||||
| Grand Tour | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Giro d'Italia | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Tour de France | DNF | — | — | — | — | — | — | 112 | 109 | |
| Vuelta a España | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |