The son of cyclist Klaus Ampler, Uwe improved on his father’s competitive record. He won two Junior World titles with the East German time trial squad, and added a gold medal in that event at the 1988 Olympics. In addition, he won the 1986 World Championships and three consecutive Peace Tours (1987-1989). Following the fall of the Iron Curtain, Ampler turned pro, but disappeared into cycling anonymity.
He was sacked by Team Deutsche Telekom in 1993, but sued his former employer for supplying him with doping against his will. Ampler lost the case and returned to cycling with a fourth Peace Tour win in 1998. He tested positive for doping in a minor race in 1999, and was banned for six months, which effectively meant the end of his career. In 2003, he had a severe accident with a jeep and fell into a two-week coma but fully recovered. He later worked as a freelance fitness coach.
East Germany