The UCI responded Sunday to an investigation by a French television programme and an Italian newspaper that suggested mechanical doping is taking place in the professional peloton and the UCI checks are not reliable.
In a statement sent Cyclingnews via email Sunday evening, the governing body said it is confident it currently uses a method of detection that is “extremely efficient.”
““The UCI has been testing for technological fraud for many years, and with the objective of increasing the efficiency of these tests, we have been trialling new methods of detection over the last year,” the UCI said.
“We have looked at thermal imaging, x-ray and ultrasonic testing but by far the most cost effective, reliable and accurate method has proved to be magnetic resonance testing using software we have created in partnership with a company of specialist developers. The scanning is done with a tablet and enables an operator to test the frame and wheels of a bike in less than a minute.”
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The magnetic resonance testing was used to detect a hidden motor at the UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships in January at Heusden Zolder, where the UCI says it tested more than 100 bikes.
“We have tested bikes at many races this year (for example 216 at Tour of Flanders, 224 at Paris-Roubaix) and will continue to test heavily in all disciplines throughout the year. Co-operation from teams and riders as we have deployed these extensive tests has been excellent.”
In a report broadcast Sunday evening on France’s Stade 2 and published earlier in the day in the Corriere della Sera newspaper in Italy, Thierry Vildary and Marco Bonarrigo said they used an expensive heat detector to spot hidden motors at both the Strade Bianche race in Tuscany and the Coppi e Bartali stage race.
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