Jul 11, 2008 5:46 am US/Mountain
Colorado Cycling Legend Talks Family & Parkinson's
Written by Brooke Wagner
BOULDER, Colo. (CBS4) ―
The Phinneys are Colorado's first family of cycling. Davis Phinney is an Olympic bronze medalist and winner of two individual stages of the Tour De France. His wife, Connie Carpenter-Phinney, won the gold in cycling in 1984. Now, son Taylor, who just turned 18, is heading to the Olympics in Beijing.
"You're only spoiled if you don't deliver results," said Davis Phinney of his son's genetic advantage. "Right away, when I watched him in his very first race, I was like, oh my gosh. This kid was so born to do this."
The cycling world echoes that sentiment. Taylor has only been racing for a couple of years. He won the junior world championship and is pursuing a medal in the pursuit event at this summer's Olympics. Taylor's parents may have provided the exceptional gene pool and support, but Taylor brought the drive.
"He was just so far above your average beginning rider who had no information, which would have been me," Davis said.
When Davis Phinney was 15, the same age as Taylor when he started racing, he donned his dad's wool undershirt and jumped on a second-hand bike.
"I was using a rock climbing helmet. I had a wool t-shirt I was wearing. That's a far ways away from where Taylor's starting," Davis said.
Because of a recent surgery for his Parkinson's Disease, Davis is able to be more active than ever training with his son. Parkinson's has been Davis Phinney's toughest competitor to date. He was diagnosed eight years ago, at the age of 40. This spring, he underwent a procedure called Deep Brain Stimulation, which he said changed his life.
"I have no medicine in my body whatsoever. I just have the current and the current allows me to function terrifically well. I mean I could not hold my hand steady. The tremor was insanely bad two months ago and that's the effect of DBS right there," Davis said.
Phinney has a pacemaker wired through his brain. He notes, the 25-year-old procedure is not right for every Parkinson's patient, but it can make a big difference for ideal candidates.
Years ago, after receiving the diagnosis, Phinney started the Davis Phinney Foundation. It has raised millions of dollars to help Parkinson's Disease patients improve their quality of life.
"We can't afford to wait for a cure," Phinney said, "We have to find a way to live well today."
Phinney seems to have done that with DBS. He is on his bike, riding longer distances with Taylor and his family.
"What it's done, in essence, is give me my life back. You're seeing me now, calm, speaking clearly, thinking clearly, not tremoring, half self-concerned with all my normal symptoms. It is such a gift. It is such a gift. I cannot tell you, Brooke. It's such a miracle," Phinney said.
Phinney will receive another gift when his newfound health allows him to cheer on his son in Beijing this summer. And we likely haven't seen the last of the Phinney legacy. 14-year-old daughter Kelsey is interested in starting racing next year, when she's 15, the same age her dad and brother started. Kelsey is already an accomplished Nordic skier and sailor and is giving biathlon a try this summer.
The Phinneys make their home in Boulder.
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