French Anti-Doping Agency (AFLD) chief Pierre Bordry has criticised the testing undertaken by the International Cycling Union (UCI) at the Tour de France, labelling it "predictable and ineffective".
Bordry, whose organisation has long been at loggerheads with cycling's governing body, told the 'Frontal 21' program on German TV network ZDF, "The tests are arranged so that the riders know in advance" when they will be subject to anti-doping scrutiny.
Critical of the UCI's methods, Bordry said, "There are not enough targeted controls, too little training [for testers] and unannounced inspections; someone who wants to dope knows the system perfectly well."
The program pointed out that when the AFLD did not conduct testing - at last year's Tour de France - not one doping case was discovered. Meanwhile, when it participated in anti-doping scrutineering during the 2008 Tour, the likes of Stefan Schumacher, Leonardo Piepoli, Bernhard Kohl and Riccardo Riccó were all outed for taking banned substances.
These latest comments come after Bordry last month sent an email to UCI President Pat McQuaid offering to conduct more testing throughout this year's Tour de France, citing the apparent lax treatment of Team Astana at last year's Tour as evidence of the need for assisting cycling's governing body in its anti-doping efforts.
And while McQuaid criticised the AFLD for carrying out minimal testing prior to last year's race, Bordry explained that the UCI has again refused to share athletes' whereabouts details with the AFLD, in a situation similar to that encountered before last year's race.
"There are teams which have never given us or the UCI [athletes'] whereabouts or only when it's too late," said Bordry. "We want to control the riders who will be training in France before the race starts. Without those files, it will be difficult to find them but we'll try and find a solution."
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