Rising from the underground

From former three-time Tour de France winner Greg LeMond to professional cycling organization USA Cycling, racers either love or hate Matt DeCanio.

When “googled,” DeCanio, 31, comes up in past articles in the New York Daily News, cycling newsmagazine VeloNews and the Miami New Times. Once a rising star in American professional cycling, DeCanio fell from grace in 2005 after voicing his radical views against cyclists who dope.

DeCanio, an Orange County native who is opening a sporting goods store above The Bike Stop, has raced professionally in 22 countries and was the top American in three world championships. He raced for Linda McCartney, Saturn and Prime Alliance, once the No. 1 American team domestically.

But after admitting to being pressured into doping, the tattooed DeCanio began a radical anti-doping movement he named Stolen Underground, which LeMond, an outspoken anti-doping supporter, sponsors. DeCanio provided a phone number for LeMond, who he said was a good friend, but the voice mailbox was full and he could not be reached for comment.

SU’s emblem, an upside-down 13, symbolizes taking the unlucky and altering it to make it positive.

“I want to reform sports and I believe that I will,” he said, fidgety but with a determination in his voice. “That’s what I believe and that’s why I’m doing it. I want to use the skateboarding and the BMX and the snowboarding and other extreme sports to launch that.”

After living the past few years in South Beach, Fla., DeCanio is back in his native Virginia and looking to expand SU through opening an alternative sports store under the umbrella of The Bike Stop in downtown Culpeper.

“It’s still The Bike Stop,” DeCanio said, “but we’ll call this area (upstairs) Stolen Underground. My stuff is more of a South Beach kind of look. It’s going to be more of an urban couture.”

From a bar area (for energy drinks) to a small stage, Stolen Underground’s headquarters caters to the alternative X Games crowd and feels like an urban hotspot — not the top floor of a building in downtown Culpeper.

Black walls covered in stylish graffiti surround the space, which DeCanio has spent the past nine months designing. One section is covered entirely in worn, broken skateboards documenting the tricks and triumphs of local skaters.

“For the skaters to have a shop that’s dedicated to them and really embracing the history of skateboarding in the area of Culpeper,” DeCanio said, “I did this for them, too.”
Bob Leftwich, who has owned The Bike Stop for 25 years, was looking to expand that portion of his store when he partnered with DeCanio.

“Cyclists, they either love him or hate him,” Leftwich said. “But everyone knows who he is. We talked about doing this in Richmond or Los Angeles. But we figure, if we can make it happen here, it can happen anywhere.”

Beyond wanting to start his own SU clothing line and open the shop, DeCanio has loftier goals for his anti-doping movement. With the store as his foundation, he hopes to build a professional racing team and place racers in major events, such as the X Games.

Leftwich hoped to get spin bikes donated to the SU headquarters, where team members could meet and train. DeCanio said he already has more than 100 team members around the world. Anyone interested in joining can learn more on his Web site, SU13.us.

DeCanio also intends to sit down with President Barack Obama in the next four years to evaluate drug use in sports and reform the laws.

“I have a lot of dreams,” he said, “but I get so intense with my work that I usually accomplish what I set out to do. I expect that I’ll do it. I speak with confidence when I say I want to do this. I really believe in the program that we’re doing here.

“I did get fired but you can’t give up. I’ve been through a lot of hard times. But no tears, ever. You don’t allow yourself to be hurt. You take that energy and you put it into something. It’s exciting.”

Check it out
What: Stolen Underground, a store opening in February that will carry snowboarding, skateboarding and BMX equipment. It will also be home to the Stolen Underground racing team and anti-doping movement in cycling and sports.
Who: Matt DeCanio, founder
Where: Above The Bike Stop, 120 West Culpeper St., call 825-2105
When: Opening sometime in February, with a private launch event Saturday night
Visit StolenUnderground.com or SU13.us to learn more.