No Positives from Tour de France
But only 2 blood transfusion tests given
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The Cycling Anti-Doping Foundation (CADF) confirmed Tuesday that there were no positive doping tests during the 2013 Tour de France. In total, the UCI and French Anti-Doping Agency carried out a total of 622 pre-and in-competitions tests during this year’s Tour.
Francesca Rossi, the director of the CADF, told CyclingNews that this year’s testing was more dynamic and less predictable than the testing of prior years. During the Tour, there were 179 urine sample taken—with 113 tested for EPO—and 198 biological passport tests carried out. Only 18 tests were conducted for human growth hormone and just two for blood transfusions.
Despite the assurances of Rossi, the CADF has come under fire for its connection to the UCI. And anti-doping watchdogs on the inside-cycling site Cyclismas have criticized the anti-doping organizations for purposefully undermining the testing by administering the least effective tests at the least effective times.
In line with the criticism, Rossi confirmed that while tests were administered for the cutting edge doping agent AICAR, WADA has yet to set a threshold for the substance but CADF plans to store samples for future retrospective testing.
For more on the future of anti-doping, read our story How To Save Cycling.