Doping at the 1999 Tour de France

Doping at the 1999 Tour de France refers to the use of performance-enhancing drugs during the 86th edition of the Tour de France, a prestigious annual men's multiple stage bicycle race primarily held in France. The 1999 Tour de France was particularly notable for the widespread allegations and subsequent investigations into doping, which implicated several riders, including the eventual winner, Lance Armstrong.

Background

The 1999 Tour de France was the first edition of the race after the infamous Festina affair in 1998, which had exposed systematic doping within the professional cycling community. The 1999 race was therefore seen as an opportunity for the sport to regain its credibility. However, the event was soon marred by fresh allegations of doping.

Doping Allegations

The first allegations of doping at the 1999 Tour de France surfaced during the race itself. Several riders, including Armstrong, tested positive for corticosteroids, a class of steroid hormones. Armstrong was allowed to continue in the race after providing a backdated prescription for a cream containing the substance, which he claimed to have used to treat saddle sores.

Investigations and Findings

In 2005, the French newspaper L'Équipe reported that samples of Armstrong's urine taken during the 1999 Tour had tested positive for EPO, a hormone that boosts red blood cell production. The UCI, cycling's governing body, initially defended Armstrong, but a subsequent investigation by the USADA led to Armstrong being stripped of his seven Tour de France titles in 2012.

Aftermath

The doping scandal at the 1999 Tour de France had far-reaching implications for professional cycling. It led to increased scrutiny of the sport and stricter anti-doping measures. However, it also damaged the reputation of the Tour de France and the sport of cycling as a whole.

See also

• Doping in sport
• History of the Tour de France
• Lance Armstrong doping case