The use of synthetic testosterone to enhance muscle growth, recovery, and aggression - one of the oldest forms of doping in cycling.
Testosterone is the primary male sex hormone and anabolic steroid. Synthetic testosterone and its derivatives have been used in cycling since the 1960s to enhance strength, recovery, and muscle mass.
• Increases protein synthesis in muscle tissue • Enhances nitrogen retention for muscle growth • Improves recovery between training sessions • Increases red blood cell production (mild) • Boosts aggression and competitive drive • Reduces body fat percentage
• Improved strength-to-weight ratio • Faster recovery from hard training • Maintained muscle mass during caloric deficit • Enhanced mental focus and motivation • Better adaptation to high training loads
• Testosterone Propionate (fast-acting) • Testosterone Enanthate (medium-acting) • Testosterone Cypionate (long-acting) • Sustanon (blend of multiple esters)
• Intramuscular injections (most common) • Transdermal patches and gels • Sublingual tablets • Each method has different detection windows
Early Era (1960s-1980s): • Widely used before reliable testing • Combined with amphetamines • No effective detection methods • Considered standard practice in peloton
Modern Era (1990s-2000s): • Used alongside EPO in polypharmacy programs • Testosterone patches for convenience • Micro-dosing to avoid detection • Part of comprehensive doping regimens
Floyd Landis (2006): • Synthetic testosterone detected after Stage 17 of Tour de France • Abnormal testosterone/epitestosterone ratio (11:1 vs normal 1:1) • Stripped of Tour de France victory • Later admitted to years of systematic doping
• Admitted to testosterone use as part of doping program • Used patches during races • Detailed methods in book The Secret Race
Alberto Contador (2010): • Trace amounts of clenbuterol (not testosterone but related) • Controversial case involving contamination claims
• Measures testosterone to epitestosterone ratio • Normal ratio: approximately 1:1 • Ratios above 4:1 trigger further investigation • Can be manipulated by adding epitestosterone
• Distinguishes synthetic from natural testosterone • Synthetic testosterone has different carbon-13 to carbon-12 ratio • Cannot be fooled by epitestosterone addition • Gold standard since early 2000s
• Athlete Biological Passport steroid module • Tracks testosterone levels over time • Detects abnormal fluctuations • Makes micro-dosing more detectable
• First offense: 2-4 year ban • Second offense: Lifetime ban • Results disqualification • Prize money forfeiture • Team sanctions possible
• Adequate sleep (7-9 hours) • Strength training stimulus • Sufficient dietary fat intake • Vitamin D and zinc supplementation • Stress management • These methods produce modest natural increases
Testosterone doping represents cycling's longest-running performance enhancement issue. Understanding detection methods helps explain why modern carbon isotope ratio testing makes synthetic testosterone nearly impossible to use undetected.
The biggest misconception is that testosterone primarily helps with endurance. While it does aid recovery and can improve climbing through better strength-to-weight ratios, its benefits for pure endurance are less than EPO. Modern testing makes synthetic testosterone extremely risky to use.