Stimulant drugs that reduce fatigue and increase alertness, historically common in cycling but now easily detected and rarely used.
Amphetamines are central nervous system stimulants that were among the first performance-enhancing drugs used in cycling. They dominated the pre-EPO era of doping from the 1950s through 1980s.
• Stimulate release of dopamine and norepinephrine • Increase heart rate and blood pressure • Suppress appetite and delay fatigue perception • Enhance focus and reduce pain awareness • Increase arousal and aggression • Delay perception of exhaustion
• Ability to push harder for longer • Reduced awareness of pain and discomfort • Improved concentration during races • Delayed fatigue sensation (not actual fatigue) • Increased willingness to suffer
• Don't increase actual physical capacity • Allow pushing beyond safe physiological limits • Mask warning signs of overexertion • Can lead to dangerous overheating and dehydration
Early Era (1950s-1980s): • Widespread amphetamine use in professional peloton • Known as speed, pep pills, or la bomba • Considered necessary to complete Grand Tours • Little testing or regulation • Part of cycling culture
Tom Simpson (1967): • Collapsed and died on Mont Ventoux during Tour de France • Amphetamines found in his system and jersey pockets • Extreme heat combined with stimulants caused fatal overheating • Death became symbol of doping dangers • Led to increased anti-doping efforts
• Multiple cyclists died in 1960s-1970s • Many linked to amphetamine use • Often combined with extreme racing conditions
• Amphetamine sulfate (Benzedrine) • Methamphetamine (stronger variant) • Dexamphetamine • Mixed amphetamine salts
• Methylphenidate (Ritalin) • Cocaine (less common in cycling) • Ephedrine and pseudoephedrine • Modafinil (modern variant)
• Easy to detect in drug tests • Harsh penalties for positive tests • More effective drugs became available (EPO) • Increased awareness of dangers • Better education about health risks
• Standard urine testing easily detects amphetamines • Detection window: 1-3 days • Cannot be masked effectively • Considered low-tech, easily caught
• Only banned in-competition by WADA • Some therapeutic uses allowed out-of-competition • ADHD medications (like Adderall) require TUEs
• First offense: 2-4 year ban • Considered serious doping violation • Results disqualification • Reputation damage
• Occasional cases at amateur level • Very few professional cycling cases since 2000 • Most involve contamination or recreational use • EPO and other drugs replaced amphetamines
• Legal stimulant with proven performance benefits • 3-6 mg/kg bodyweight effective dose • Improves endurance by 2-3% • Widely used by professionals
• Improves high-intensity performance • Legal supplement • Delays muscle fatigue
• Cardiovascular strain and heart attacks • Dangerous overheating • Addiction and psychological dependence • Long-term heart damage • Mental health consequences
Amphetamines represent cycling's earliest and deadliest doping era. Understanding this history explains why anti-doping programs exist and why the sport takes performance-enhancing drugs seriously. Tom Simpson's death remains a cautionary tale.
The biggest myth is that amphetamines made riders faster. They don't increase actual capacity - they just mask pain and fatigue, allowing riders to push into dangerous physiological territory. This is why they caused deaths rather than just improved performances.