The International Cycling Union (UCI) announced a package of new measures to fight against fraud or technological doping, a battle in which the world cycling organization does not want to give up.
According to the criteria of
According to the statement, among the measures it stands out that now the technical marshals will visit the teams’ buses to check the bicycles that will be used in the stage.
Besides, Magnetic tablets will be used and, once the stage is finished, more specific checks will be analyzed on designated bicycles.
The bicycles to be reviewed will be those of the winner of the day, the leaders of the classifications, other random bicycles and those of those who are under some type of suspicion.
But there is more. The post-stage tests will be carried out with a portable X-ray device, as well as transmission and backscatter technology. It is reported that the measures will come into effect from the 2024 Tour de France.
In fact, the UCI statement states that additional examinations such as the dismantling of the bicycle could be requested.
“More information on this matter will be communicated in due course after the 2024 Tour de France,” the UCI says without giving further details.
In the case of road cycling, the UCI carries out bicycle checks in all UCI WorldTour events. In addition, bicycles are also controlled at the UCI Road World Championships, the UCI Paracycling Road World Championships, the UCI Paracycling Road World Cup, the UCI Women’s WorldTour events and the Olympic Games.
Likewise, they are carried out in the UCI Mountain Bike, Cyclocross and Track World Championships, as well as in the UCI Cyclocross World Cup.
Tests in 2023
Last year, there was an offensive by the UCI to detect the likelihood of this competitive fraud without detecting positive cases in the Tour de France.
“The large number of tests carried out at the 2023 Tour de France as part of our technological fraud detection program sends a very clear message to passengers and the public: it is impossible to use a hidden propulsion system on a bicycle without being exposed” .
“To ensure equality of cycling competitions and protect the integrity of the sport and its athletes, we will continue to implement our screening program and develop it further,” said UCI Director General, Amina Lanaya.
The result was 837 tests before and 160 after the stages and all of them negative. There was no technological doping, says the UCI.
What is technological doping?
Technological doping is the threat to sports in these times, and it is a new fraud that allows certain athletes to take advantage of prohibited technological aids.
In cycling, it is about managing to include within the structure of the bicycle some type of mechanism that improves pedaling, that drives the rider, that gives them an illegal competitive advantage. In other words, a form of cheating.
The UCI is determined to put an end to this new form of competitive illegality that includes, for example, small motors in the frame, the hubs.
PABLO ROMERO
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