Thomas Simpson
Born as the youngest son of a coal miner in 1937, Thomas Simpson was one of the greatest cyclists ever from Britain. Simpson was born in County Durham, and later moved to Nottingham. There, he competed in many cycling competitions, and had many successes. In 1956 he won bronze at the Olympics, putting him in the spotlight and setting his sights on the Tour de France, hoping for the ultimate victory.
Achievements:
Simpson had many wins in his life.
Bronze at 1956 Olympics
29th at the 1960 Tour de France
6th at the 1962 Tour de France
Winning the Milan San Remo classic in 1964
World Road Race champion in San Sebastian, Spain 1965
Winning the autumn classic Giro Di Lombardia
First cyclist to win BBC sports personality of the year
Winning early season Paris Nice
Winning 2 stages in Vuelta a Espagne
Simpson winning World Champion
Death:
During the 1967 Tour de France, Simpson collapsed during the climb up Mont Ventoux. He was airlifted to a hospital and was later declared dead. Subsequent tests showed levels of amphetamine in his body. Before 1967, many athletes used performance enhancing drugs to boost the body when at its limits. There have been incidents before Simpson’s, but it was the reveal of the amphetamine in his system and room as to the reason why Simpson could push himself far beyond his limits, leading authorities to ban the drug.
Amphetamine:
Amphetamine is a stimulant that allows a person to have enhanced motivation, decreased fatigue, and a distorted judgment - something that may allow an athlete to push themself too far, a reason why at the 1968 Olympics, the drug was banned and testing was implemented for future competitions.
Sources:
ESPN, ESPN Internet Ventures, www.espn.com/special/s/drugsandsports/amphet.html. Accessed 5 July 2024.
“Tom Simpson Biography.” Tom Simpson Biography | Cycling Info, cyclinginfo.co.uk/cyclists/british/tom-simpson-biography/. Accessed 5 July 2024.
Mulholland, Owen. Tom Simpson, bikeraceinfo.com/riderhistories/Tom-Simpson.html. Accessed 5 July 2024.
Thomas Simpson, olympics.com/en/athletes/thomas-simpson. Accessed 5 July 2024.