The 2010 Tour de France was marked by several notable incidents and controversies, including doping-related scandals. Here are two major incidents that gained attention:
- Alberto Contador
The Yellow Jersey winner of the race tested positive for clenbuterol during the 2010 Tour de France. The positive test was revealed during a rest day on July 21, 2010. Contador claimed that the positive result was due to contaminated meat that he had consumed, which led to the presence of trace amounts of clenbuterol in his system.
Despite his explanation, the positive test sparked a lengthy legal battle and raised questions about anti-doping practices. In 2012, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled that Contador should be stripped of his 2010 Tour de France title, and he was handed a retroactive ban.
- Denis Menchov
In 2014, Denis Menchov, who had finished third in the 2010 Tour de France, was sanctioned for a biological passport violation. The UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale) announced that Menchov had been banned for a period of two years until April 9, 2015, due to adverse biological passport findings.
As a result of this ban, Menchov was disqualified from the 2009, 2010, and 2012 Tours de France, and his results were nullified. This means that any results Menchov achieved in those particular Tours de France were nullified, including his overall classification standings and any associated titles or jerseys.
The original podium of the 2010 Tour de France was as follows:
- Alberto Contador (Spain)
- Andy Schleck (Luxembourg)
- Denis Menchov (Russia)
However, due to the doping scandals involving Alberto Contador and Denis Menchov, both were stripped of their titles in 2010. As a result of the revised standings, the podium after these scandals became:
- Andy Schleck (Luxembourg)
- Samuel Sánchez (Spain)
- Jurgen Van den Broeck (Belgium)
Andy Schleck was retroactively declared the winner of the 2010 Tour de France after Contador’s disqualification.
In the midst of the controversies enveloping the competition, the 2010 Tour de France showcased thrilling races and unforgettable moments, adding to the storied history of this iconic event.