Quinn Simmons will return to racing after five-month absence from the peloton - "One year ago today I made probably the worst decision of my career"

Not called for. Who cares about his politics, and what someone did when they were a 20 year old. I think we have all been a bit off in our teens and 20's.

I've always appreciated how cycling attracts all kinds. It has certainly helped me broaden the narrow and racist perspective I was brought up in. I am thankful for the diverse circle of friends I stumbled into on my bike and find it kind of amazing that cycling is one of the last things keeping both sides of the cold civil war together as both parties have a history of supporting and collaborating on bicycle infrastructure.

What did he do? 20 years old Quinn said "bye" to an adult journalist who said that they wanted to unfriend all Trumpsters. That part looks bad on any journalist, even a sports journo, to exhibit such bias. I'm surprised they weren't seen as unprofessional.

But Quinn took the bait and was landed like a big mouth bass simply because, correct me if I am wrong, the emoji he used. A new 'racially inclusive' emoji which was interpreted as racist of him to use.

I was as shocked as many, but away from the screen, riding my bike, it dawned on it might be the sort of simplistic knee jerk reaction that is the bread and butter of FSB operatives and FB ad revenue accountants. Further reflection and verification to check how emojis were loading on my account and I see how it could be unintentional on his part simply because when FB rolled out the new emojis, the new darker colors became the default.

This interpretation resonates with my long standing motto as an engineer: failure is not an option; it's the default.

Regardless, he was and still is a kid. At least according to the the neurological perspective that the prefrontal cortex, source of our executive function, doesn't mature until age 24. A number curiously consistent with auto insurance data that sets higher rates for young drivers and the new U-23 category in sport.

Maybe you know something I don't, but until he starts spouting proud boy propaganda like an automaton I am willing to believe he's a decent guy. Whom he votes for is his business, he rides.

He's definitely a talented young rider, but I suspect he is being harmed in being put in races where he's consistently punching above his weight. I find it difficult to watch him in the bigger races because I know he'll crash hard once his elastic snaps.

He needs time to mature physically or he is going to be destroyed. The posts quoted here have me wondering if he has and is now just a broken rubber band.

I don't know him, but reading this account complete with a Twitter image of him committing mock suicide, I am seriously concerned he is experiencing a severe mental and physical depression that is going unaddressed.

You can take the high road to discount his humanity with labels, but from my perspective that is just as prejudiced and damaging as what you accuse him of. I hope you can see how this eye for an eye vendetta makes you blind to this.

We all love the pomp and thrill of athletes who can perform superhuman feats, but the other side of the coin, Depression, is the shadow which requires an even higher level of superhuman effort to overcome because it takes over your reality with hallucinations to drive the downward spiral.

I hope his trainers and handlers can understand this and do right by him. Thus far I am not seeing it. His is a rare talent I would really like to see mature, but he'll need help. I'm pulling for him.