The International Cycling Union (UCI) will target a list of 50 riders for specific doping controls to be carried out in the lead up to next month's Tour de France, it indicated on Sunday.
At the final stage of the Dauphiné Libéré, UCI president Pat McQuaid said that the first of the targeted riders and their teams would be informed this week.
"We [have] targeted research on a fifty riders," said McQuaid, according to L'Equipe. "Federations, teams and riders will gradually be informed in the coming days."
The news of the additional controls comes after the cycling union had revealed on Wednesday that it would be taking disciplinary action against a small number of riders who had return irregular results under its biological passport program. The action against riders will be a firm test of the anti-doping program, introduced in 2008. However, McQuaid told L'Equipe that they were confident that evidence provided by the program will hold up to examination.
"We worked with experts. We are ready to defend these results before the court."
UCI won't delay Valverde decision
It seems Dauphiné Libéré winner Alejandro Valverde will not have to wait long to find out whether the UCI will enforce further sanctions for alleged doping practices, following comments made by International Cycling Union (UCI) president, Pat McQuaid, on Sunday.
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French sports daily L'Equipe has reported that the UCI will make a determination on Valverde's future within the next seven days. McQuaid confirmed that cycling's governing body had received anticipated evidence from Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) authorities on Wednesday.
"The UCI may decide to ''globalize'' the penalty. A decision will be reached in six or seven days," McQuaid told L'Equipe at the final stage of the Dauphiné Libéré.
