Charly Gaul - Doping

Doping

Gaul rode in an era before drug tests and drug rules. Pictures show that he frequently frothed at the mouth. Goddet spoke of his dribbling during his record ride up Mont Ventoux: "Yes, it was without doubt the first time that I saw the soft and thin face of the Luxembourger, who never shows signs of suffering, running with the sweat of pain, the dribble of effort flooding his shaven chin and sticking to his chest in long dirty ropes."

Gaul rode best in the cold and poorly in the heat. His rival, Bahamontes, didn't name Gaul but said that the heat suited him best "because then others couldn't take as much amphetamine. Marcel Ernzer, Gaul's domestique, recalled a conversation with Gaul:

"Charly's going to die."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because Charly takes too many pills."

"But everybody takes them."

"Yes, but Charly a lot more than the others."