Biking is taken into account by followers full of pleasure and has delivered a few of the most thrilling and jaw-dropping moments in sporting historical past – ever. From catastrophic crashes to dodgy doping scandals, it is a sport that has actually had its justifiable share of controversy and unforgettable moments.
Lance Armstrong – Presumably the Greatest Doping Scandal Ever
Lance Armstrong was a biking hero. He famously overcame most cancers, virtually all on-line sports activities betting websites had him because the odds-on favorite to win his eighth Tour de France – and he dated some fairly well-known girls as effectively.
After which all of it fell aside – in what was arguably probably the most notorious scandal in biking historical past. Lance Armstrong’s fall from grace was nothing wanting stunning. This was a person who had received seven consecutive Tour de France titles from 1999 to 2005 – and he stood accused of working probably the most elaborate doping schemes in sport.
And it turned out to be true. In 2012, the U.S. Anti-Doping Company (USADA) stripped him of each single title he received – and banned him for all times. The confession he made in a 2013 interview with Oprah Winfrey remains to be probably the most dramatic moments in biking.
The Tragic Dying of Tom Simpson
One other second that was memorable for all of the flawed causes occurred throughout the thirteenth stage of the Tour de France in 1967. The promising British bike owner Tom Simpson collapsed and died whereas climbing Mont Ventoux – and it turned out to be a deadly mixture of utmost warmth, exhaustion, and, to high it off, a lethal mixture of amphetamines and alcohol that every one contributed to his tragic passing.
This was undoubtedly a wake-up name for the world of biking – and was a stark reminder of how harmful it was (and is) to take performance-enhancing medication.
Fabio Casartelli’s Deadly Crash
That wasn’t the one time the game has been rocked by tragedy. One other horrible second occurred throughout the 1995 Tour de France when the Italian bike owner Fabio Casartelli was concerned in a deadly crash as he descended the Col de Portet d’Aspet.
The gifted 24-year-old Olympic champion wasn’t sporting a helmet when it occurred – and sadly, this turned out to be a deadly mistake. His loss of life led to conversations surrounding rider security – which finally led to the obligatory helmet rule which was thus launched in skilled biking.
Floyd Landis – A Fall from Grace
One other scandalous second got here courtesy of Floyd Landis – who delivered probably the most mind-blowing solo breakaways within the historical past of the Tour de France throughout Stage 17 of the 2006 race.
Nonetheless, simply days later, it was revealed that he’d examined constructive for prime testosterone ranges. He was stripped of his title – however denied that he’d achieved something flawed. He didn’t keep quiet for too lengthy although and he finally admitted to doping.
The Mysterious Disqualification of Marco Pantani
Fifth on the checklist is Marco Pantani, the Italian climbing legend. He was approach forward of the pack within the 1999 Giro d’Italia when he was abruptly and really dramatically disqualified for irregular blood check outcomes – which indicated potential doping.
The choice to disqualify him was fully stunning, and he by no means totally recovered from the scandal. Simply 5 years later, in 2004, he died of a drug overdose which makes his story not simply stunning, but additionally shockingly unhappy.
Chris Froome Runs Up Mont Ventoux
In what was probably probably the most weird and surreal second ever, throughout the 2016 Tour de France, Chris Froome was concerned in a crash on Mont Ventoux with a TV bike. His bike was badly broken and he had no fast substitute accessible to him – so Froome then began to run up the mountain in his biking sneakers, and this was fairly the scene… one which left everybody watching it speechless.
The 1904 Tour de France Dishonest Scandal
Going again over 100 years now… and the sport’s first ever main dishonest scandal occurred in solely the second version of the Tour de France, in 1904.
Various the riders ended up being disqualified for taking shortcuts, letting trains do a few of their ‘exhausting work’ – and even attempting to sabotage their opponents. It was absolute carnage. The winner, Maurice Garin, ended up being stripped of his title – and this scandal nearly led to the race being cancelled fully.
There’s been a lot extra to talk of – and little doubt there can be a lot extra to return. Who knew there was such a darkish aspect to the world of biking?
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