Biking is taken into account by followers full of pleasure and has delivered among 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 nicely.

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 in need of surprising. This was a person who had received seven consecutive Tour de France titles from 1999 to 2005 – and he stood accused of working one of the vital 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 continues to be one of the vital dramatic moments in biking.

The Tragic Loss of life 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 bicycle 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 bicycle 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 carrying a helmet when it occurred – and sadly, this turned out to be a deadly mistake. His dying 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 one of the vital mind-blowing solo breakaways within the historical past of the Tour de France throughout Stage 17 of the 2006 race.

Nevertheless, 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 listing is Marco Pantani, the Italian climbing legend. He was means forward of the pack within the 1999 Giro d’Italia when he was all of a sudden and really dramatically disqualified for irregular blood take a look at outcomes – which indicated potential doping.

The choice to disqualify him was fully surprising, 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 surprising, but in addition shockingly unhappy.

Chris Froome Runs Up Mont Ventoux

In what was presumably 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 motorcycle. His bike was badly broken and he had no rapid substitute accessible to him – so Froome then began to run up the mountain in his biking footwear, 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.

Quite a few the riders ended up being disqualified for taking shortcuts, letting trains do a few of their ‘arduous work’ – and even attempting to sabotage their rivals. It was absolute carnage. The winner, Maurice Garin, ended up being stripped of his title – and this scandal virtually led to the race being cancelled fully.

There’s been loads extra to talk of – and little doubt there shall be loads extra to return. Who knew there was such a darkish aspect to the world of biking?

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