American Tom Danielson, a former WorldTour professional now coaching who has served two anti-doping suspensions, finished third in the men’s 45-49 category at the UCI Gravel World Championships in Nannup, Australia, on Sunday.
Japan’s Akihiro Takaoka won the age-group title in 04:44:59. Australia’s Hayden Armstrong finished second, with Danielson third. Both were 34 seconds behind the winner.
USA Cycling named Danielson to the Team USA roster after he won the 2026 USA Cycling Gravel National Championships in the 45-49 category in September. Since returning to competition he has focused on gravel racing, also winning the 2024 national championships and finishing runner-up in 2025.
His doping history remains part of his story. In October 2012, the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) released its Reasoned Decision in the Lance Armstrong case. The agency described the US Postal Service Pro Cycling Team’s doping programme as the most sophisticated the sport had ever seen. Danielson was among 11 former Armstrong teammates named as participants in the programme who cooperated with the investigation.
He admitted using EPO, human growth hormone, testosterone and cortisone, as well as undergoing blood transfusions, in 2005 and 2006. Under his 2012 USADA sanction, Danielson accepted a six-month suspension, reduced in recognition of his assistance to the agency.
In October 2016, USADA announced details of a second anti-doping case against Danielson. An out-of-competition sample collected on 9 July 2015 tested positive for an exogenous anabolic steroid. Danielson blamed a contaminated supplement. USADA disputed that explanation, stating that there was insufficient evidence to establish contamination and issued a four-year sanction. His ban ended in August 2019.
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