Medical Condition Ends Danny Finneran's Racing Career
5/14/10 - Past U.S. national junior team pursuit champion Danny Finneran announced his retirement from cycling Thursday, citing medical problems that include erectile dysfunction and possible nerve damage in his pelvic area.
Finneran turned 20 years old Thursday and has only been racing competitively for three years. But the Oak Park, Calif., resident who races for Adageo Energy Pro Cycling said the pain he has endured has been a mystery to four physicians who have examined him over the past three months. He has changed saddles several times and even underwent a bike fit in an attempt to shift his weight from his posterior to his hands. None of it has worked.
“It's absolutely horrible,” Finneran said. “Nothing has been able to keep me down, until this.”
Racing for Rock Racing last year, his season was cut short by the team’s financial difficulties. But in 2008, he was part of the winning team pursuit squad at the USA Cycling junior national track championships while also earning bronze medals in the individual pursuit and the criterium.
US National Junior Team Pursuit Champion Danny Finneran
announced his retirement from cycling.
Former professional cyclist Roy Knickman coaches Finneran. He said he was surprised how well his client dealt with the setbacks and focused his energy on moving forward.
"He's an interesting kid. There are days I've seen him where he could win the world championships,” Knickman said. “He's a very talented, but excitable kid – which sometimes made it hard. When he's feeling good, there's no holding back or controlling him. He almost defies logic in that you look at him and he looks like this kid and yet he goes out there. And he’s versatile – a climber, he can do criteriums, ride the track.
“Obviously, for anybody in this sport to have to step away – especially someone who has such passion for it – is too bad. It’s been Danny’s goal to get to the Olympic team and Europe and get to the highest levels.”
Dr. Irwin Goldstein, a professor of Urology and Gynecology and director of the Institute for Sexual Medicine at Boston University School of Medicine, has done extensive research into impotency among cyclists. He said the problems Finneran has experienced are not uncommon.
“It’s an absolute shame that much of this has been hidden from the public,” Goldstein said. “It should be squarely written on all bike saddles that ‘use of this product could result in health problems such as erectile dysfunction and numbness.’ If it isn’t that way, it’s a shame.”
Finneran said instead of aiming for a spot on the 2012 U.S. Olympic team in track cycling, he might pursue long track speed skating while also continuing his college education.
“I want to thank everyone for their help and support,” he said. “I hope to get back into cycling sometime down the road if a new technology or a product comes out that can help my situation.”
