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'Tom Simpson is arguably the astir implicit British roadworthy cyclist of each time,' Sir Bradley Wiggins wrote astir the iconic Brit successful his publication Icons.
Simpson became the archetypal British cyclist to don the yellowish jersey successful 1962 and was World Road Race champion successful 1965.
Prior to his Tour de France success, helium besides won a bronze medal for way cycling astatine the 1956 Summer Olympics followed by a metallic astatine the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games.
Success saw Simpson named Sports Personality of the Year successful the aforesaid twelvemonth helium donned the celebrated yellowish jersey.
However, Simpson tragically mislaid his beingness successful the 1967 Tour de France; a decease that opened the world’s eyes to the dangers of doping successful cycling.
Tommy Simpson with the 1965 Sports Personality of the Year grant / Photo by Daily Mirror/Mirrorpix/Mirrorpix via Getty Images
The nexus betwixt doping and Simpson's death
The authoritative origin of Simpson’s decease was 'heart nonaccomplishment caused by exhaustion' until British writer J. L. Manning broke the quality astir a ceremonial transportation betwixt drugs and Simpson’s decease successful July 1967.
As such, the origin of Simpson’s passing was changed owed to a operation of exertion successful utmost vigor and amphetamines.
Simpson was known to beryllium unfastened astir the usage drugs successful nonrecreational cycling, telling Chris Brasher of the Observer successful 1960: “I cognize from the mode they thrust the adjacent time they are taking dope. I don't privation to person to instrumentality it – I person excessively overmuch respect for my body.”
However, erstwhile asked by Eamonn Andrews of the BBC, however, Simpson did not contradict taking drugs.
William Fotheringham quoted Alan Ramsbottom, successful the former’s biography of Simpson, arsenic saying: “Tom went connected the [1967] Tour de France with 1 suitcase for his kit and different with his stuff, drugs and betterment things. Tom took a batch of chances. He took a batch of it [drugs]. I retrieve him taking a people of strychnine to physique up to immoderate large event. He showed maine the box, and had to instrumentality 1 each fewer days.”
The pb riders from Stage Two of the 2025 Tour de France / Photo by Tim de Waele/Getty Images
Mandatory cause investigating implemented
Simpson’s death, though, contributed towards the mandatory investigating for show enhancing drugs successful cycling, starring to tests successful the Tour de France, the Olympics and the Giro d’Italia the pursuing year.
Mandatory investigating isn’t the lone regularisation alteration to person travel into unit for the Tour de France, with the UCI precocious implementing their yellowish paper system.
The system, dubbed ‘cycling’s VAR’, means riders tin beryllium banned for up to 14 days if they person 3 yellowish cards successful the abstraction of 30 days.
Yellow cards tin beryllium dished retired for a fig of offences, including assault, threats, improper behaviour and celebrating a teammate’s success.
The 112th variation of the Tour de France started connected Saturday, arsenic Belgian rider Jasper Philipsen claimed archetypal successful Stage One, and Dutchman Mathieu van der Poel winning Stage Two.
The 178.3km Stage Three kicks disconnected successful Valenciennes connected Monday.
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