7. The Festina Affair (1998)

TDF-FESTINA-PRESS CONFERENCE

After another long period in which most cyclists were able to stay a step ahead of the testing capabilities, doping scandals made a big comeback in 1998. And now they were bigger than ever.

That year the entire Festina team from Spain was kicked out of the Tour de France when a team masseuse was arrested at the French border and found to have four hundred vials of the blood-boosting drug EPO (which increases the blood’s ability to deliver oxygen to the muscles). Left no choice, all the cyclists admitted to doping so they could start serving their suspensions and resume their careers ASAP.