UCI extends anti-doping agreement with French agency for Tour
PARIS (Reuters) - The International Cycling Union (UCI) and the French Anti-Doping Agency (AFLD) will once again work hand in hand on the Tour de France, the sport's governing body said on Thursday.
"The Agence Française de Lutte contre le Dopage (AFLD) and the Cycling Anti-Doping Foundation (CADF), the independent body mandated by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) to define and carry out the fight against doping in cycling, today confirmed that they will be collaborating closely on anti-doping controls during the Tour De France 2014 which begins on 5 July," the UCI said in a statement.
"The agreement covering the Tour de France, is part of a cooperation agreement signed between the UCI on the one hand, represented by the CADF, and the AFLD on the other, which aims to ensure efficient anti-doping controls at all the major cycling competitions in France (Paris-Nice, Paris-Roubaix, Critérium du Dauphiné and Tour de France)."
The agreement is an extension of the one that was in place for last year's race, which implies blood tests on every rider before the start as well as targeted testing during the race, which starts on Saturday from Leeds.
There was no positive test on the 2013 Tour de France after 622 - 443 blood and 179 urine - were collected during the three-week race.
The Tour ends on July 27.
(Reporting by Julien Pretot; Editing by Sudipto Ganguly)
