My favourite quote is from Coppi, when he was asked by a journalist if he took 'La Bomba'. Only when I need to, came his reply. And when is that? the journalist asks. All the time he replies....
I also read Anquetil complaining about drug testing, saying that if you want the peloton moving along at 15kmh then yes, test for drugs and everyone gets bored and stops watching, but if you want the peloton to go along at 25kmh then don't test. He considered drug tests an invasion of his civil liberties and I'm pretty sure he was stripped of a race or two by refusing to give samples. A 5-times TdF winner...
In the early days is was sweet strong coffee laced with cocaine, then amphetamine was widely used. HGH, steroids, testosterone all have been used but EPO was the game-changer. La Bomba might give you energy and make you ride a little faster and go a little longer, but I'm sure as hell it doesn't aid recovery. Weren't people amphetamines to ride and then morphine to sleep? EPO is the real turbo charger.
Lance is the sacrificial lamb, and I've heard people (mostly Americans) admit his doping but mitigate that by saying the entire peloton was juiced. I think he can feel aggrieved at the fact he is being singled out and that other riders aren't getting the same treatment, but he was the most systematic and sophisticated doper there was, and backed it up with mafia-style intimidation. He painted a target on his back in the long run.
EPO was indeed the game changer, never better illustrated than at La Fleche Wallone in 94 when Argentin & a couple of Gewiss teammates simply rode away taking all the podium placings. Who was team Doctor?, oh suprise suprise Ferrari.