biological passport

World Anti-Doping Agency to launch a new module to detect human growth hormone.

The Portuguese cycling federation confirmed it will extend the application of the biological passport to all national teams in 2023.

Exclusive interview with the UCI president on all matters doping and the fight for clean cycling.

Anti-doping officials say athletes caught in latest police sting had suspicious biological passport results, reinforcing the system's reliability.

The Colombian climber showed suspect blood and urine values, but the UCI has determined there is "no basis to proceed further."

The Colombian climber has now been pulled twice because of questions over his biological passport readings.

Czech rider Roman Kreuziger may not be filing a lawsuit against the UCI or WADA for damages, but that doesn’t mean that his employer won’t

Though he missed much of the 2014 season due to a suspension, Roman Kreuziger will not file lawsuit for damages or legal expenses

On June 10, the Court of Arbitration for Sport will meet to decide the Czech rider’s fate, and the stakes could not be higher

World Anti-Doping Association blasts Stade 2 TV station for airing a program using "human guinea pigs" for bio-passport doping report

Banned for two years stemming from a biological passport violation, Tiernan-Locke vows to return to racing in 2016

Tinkoff-Saxo rider Roman Kreuziger has taken to the internet to declare his innocence and publish several documents from his case

The Czech rider's lawyer releases a statement and presents new evidence after the UCI and WADA press on with case

Froome is aiming to be the first rider to officially win back-to-back grand tours in the biological passport era

Horner became the oldest rider (41) to win a grand tour when he triumphed at the Vuelta a Espana

Aussie blood doping expert says UCI derelict in its clean sporting duties if it did not put Armstrong's passport out for expert review

The world governing body says some riders were tested less often because they had established blood profiles

Spaniard faces disciplinary process after the UCI determines his blood profiles indicate doping

Blood-doping expert Michael Ashenden details how USADA could build a case against Lance Armstrong

UCI president lauds the passport program after four years, saying the proof of less doping is on the road

UCI Press Release on Gerard Vroomen comments

PARIS, Aug 11, 2011 (AFP) - World cycling's ruling body has angrily hit back at suggestions by Cervélo co-founder Gerard Vroomen that the UCI has lacked bite in implementing its own biological passport program.

UCI president Pat McQuaid apologized to pro riders about a leaked list published in L’Equipe this week, but staunchly defended the biological passport program.

Q.Dear Explainer, As a follow-up to your answer to an earlier question on the biological passport, I’m curious whether there is any science out there on the relative benefits of micro-dosing EPO and other methods designed to avoid detection in doping controls as compared to more traditional and easily catchable doping methods.

MILAN (VN) — Fans may notice a piece of white tape on the arms of riders at Milan-San Remo Saturday. In a release distributed Friday, the Association of Professional Cyclists said that riders would carry the tape as a symbol of unity over the anti-doping proposals made in the last week by the groups representing teams (AIGCP), doctors (AIMEC) and riders (CPA).

What does the passport do? How does it work? What are its limitations? Can athletes manipulate it?

Franco Pellizotti reacted angrily to Tuesday’s decision by the Court of Arbitration for Sport and said he would not mount a comeback when his two-year ban concludes.

PRESS RELEASE: THE COURT OF ARBITRATION FOR SPORT (CAS) IMPOSES A TWO YEAR BAN ON THE ITALIAN CYCLISTS PIETRO CAUCCHIOLI AND FRANCO PELLIZOTTI

GENEVA (AFP) - The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on Tuesday banned Italian cyclist Franco Pellizotti, third in the 2009 Giro d'Italia, for two years, overturning an earlier ruling by Italy's anti-doping committee.

Team Movistar’s official presentation is Tuesday in Madrid, but Franco Pellizotti won’t be signing a late-hour contract with the Spanish team because his ongoing doping case remains unresolved.

Now retired, former world champion Igor Astarloa says it's 'ridiculous' to suspend him based on alleged anomalies in his blood profile

Igor Astarloa – the former world champion who has not raced since 2009 – is the latest victim in the UCI’s controversial biological passport program.

Pietrio Caucchioli plans to be the first cyclist to ask the CAS to throw out a suspension based on the UCI's biological passport

Franco Pellizotti has been absolved of doping allegations Thursday by Italian anti-doping authorities in what could be a major setback for the UCI’s biological passport.

The UCI says it has not closed the files on five riders whose Biological Passport values were deemed suspicious last winter.

Former Gerolsteiner manager Hans-Michael Holczer says blood tests showed "clear evidence" that American Levi Leipheimer doped during the 2005 Tour de France.

Spanish rider Rubén Lobato has been suspended for two years due to irregular readings on his biological passport

The Tour de France is about surviving and hanging on for three weeks, but some big names are missing out this year even before the race leaves the start house with Saturday’s prologue in Rotterdam.

Ivan Basso (Liquigas) says returning to the Tour de France for the first time since 2005 makes him an outsider for victory and insists the favorite will be Alberto Contador.

WADA, not AFLD, to monitor Tour de France drug testing

Lampre's Pietro Caucchioli received a two-year racing ban for irregular values on his biological passport.

UCI chief Pat McQuaid on Tuesday rejected claims there was a conflict of interest in the sport's governing body accepting a $100,000 donation from Lance Armstrong about eight years ago.

Michael Barry (Team Sky) strongly denied allegations leveled against him by Floyd Landis that he took performance-enhancing products and discussed doping practices prior to the 2003 Vuelta a España.

There may be serious consequences from Floyd Landis' remarks, but his accusations were largely being downplayed at the Tour of California.

The Amgen Tour of California will continue, business as usual, despite doping allegations leveled by Floyd Landis, says AEG Sports president Andrew Messick.

Inside Cycling with John Wilcockson: The Giro battle has only just begun

What biological values and ratios does the UCI's "Biological Passport" track?

Giro promises tougher controls in 2010

Franco Pellizotti, second in last year’s Giro d’Italia and winner of the polka-dot jersey in the 2009 Tour de France, will not start this year’s Giro after the UCI alleged that a check of his so-called biological passport found “abnormal values.”

Former LPR rider Gabriele Bosisio was hit with a two-year suspension by the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) on Wednesday after testing positive for the banned blood-booster EPO last fall.

Astana’s Alexandre Vinokourov fires back at his critics, asking, "In what other sport are you allowed to participate without the right to win?"

The impressive one-two finishes by Polish brothers Pawel and Kacper Szczepaniak in the U23 race at the cyclocross world championships in January may turn out to be less impressive than originally thought.

The UCI has provisionally suspended Italian pro Massimo Giunti after a laboratory found the blood booster EPO in a urine sample from an out-of-competition test on February 23.

The UCI has announced that the governing body’s anti-doping manager, Anne Gripper, will leave the post this month, citing a desire to return to her home in Australia.

Monaco’s Cycling Federation has handed a two-year suspension to former Silence-Lotto rider Thomas Dekker for an EPO positive that resulted from the re-testing of an old sample last year.

Italian rider Eddy Ratti has been suspended following a positive EPO test, the UCI announced on Saturday.

Just a day after successfully defending the suspension of Stefan Schumacher in the International Court of Arbitration for Sport, anti-doping officials scored a significant legal win in a Spanish courtroom.

Saying they are now redundant, Lance Armstrong said on Saturday that he has dispensed with the additional personal doping tests he adopted to silence critics who suspect him of using drugs.

After a possible Astana deal went south, 2006 Tour de France champion Óscar Pereiro says he is probably at the end of his career.

Facing a ban after a positive test for EPO, Gabriele Bosisio pleads his innocence at a hearing with the Italian Olympic Committee.

Response of the UCI to a report from AFLD relating to anti- doping activities at the 2009 Tour de France PART 1: GENERAL COMMENTS The concept of partnership

Reigning Tour de France champion Alberto Contador played down the threat of a doping probe that was launched a day before the presentation of next year's race. Paris prosecutors on Tuesday revealed they had launched an investigation after the discovery of suspicious medical equipment including "syringes and drips" during the Tour de France in July.

A day after Italian Gabriele Bosisio learned that he had failed a dope test, his countryman Francesco De Bonis has also been flagged as an EPO user. De Bonis, who rides with the Diquigiovanni team, tested positive for the new-generation EPO, known as a Continuous Erythropoiesis Receptor Activator (CERA), during the first stage of the Giro d’Italia on May 7, according to the Italian press. The news comes a day after it was announced that LPR's Bosisio was caught out by a suprise out-of-competition test conducted by the UCI on September 2 at Rogeno.

Italian cyclist Gabriele Bosisio (LPR Brakes) has been provisionally suspended after testing positive for EPO, the UCI announced Tuesday. The 29-year-old was found positive in an out-of-competition test conducted by the UCI on September 2 at Rogeno, Italy. Bosisio’s LPR teammate, Danilo Di Luca, had apparently finished second in the Giro d’Italia in May, but was later suspended for failing two doping tests during the race. A UCI statement said Bosisio has been provisionally suspended, pending the outcome of a follow-up test.

The B-sample requested by former Silence-Lotto rider Thomas Dekker has confirmed his positive drugs test for the banned blood-booster EPO, the Dutch ANP news agency reported on Wednesday. The wire service said that Dekker has accepted the findings and is awaiting his sanction. The sample was originally taken on December 24, 2007, but new procedures introduced since then allowed for further tests which revealed a positive reading for EPO and the rider was ruled out of this year's Tour de France three days before the start in July.

The UCI has unveiled a new educational program that will complement its ever-increasing anti-doping arsenal. UCI president Pat McQuaid said more than 14,000 doping controls were conducted across all disciplines in 2009 and said the fight against doping must include prevention as well as detection and enforcement. Dubbed “True Champion or Cheat,” an interactive video course will be required viewing for nearly 1,000 registered professionals and is aimed at prevention and awareness among pros and amateurs alike.

Running unopposed, UCI president Pat McQuaid was reelected to another four-year term Friday following a UCI congress held in conjunction with the world road race championships. The 60-year-old Irishman was the only candidate for the post, which he took over from Dutchman Hein Verbruggen in 2005. A former professional racer in the 1970s, McQuaid has also worked as a cycling coach, race organizer and president of Ireland's national federation. During his tenure McQuaid has worked hard to help globalize the sport, especially in Asia, the Americas and Oceania.

This week the Danish newspaper / Web site Ekstra Bladetran published an article in which physiologist Jakob Mørkeberg examined Lance Armstrong's Tour de France blood samples and said they might indicate a blood doping program.

UCI president Pat McQuaid told Reuters on Sunday that there were no positive tests at this year’s Tour de France. Based on controls taken so far, McQuaid said he is optimistic about the future of the sport. "At this point in time I haven't heard of any positive tests at this year's Tour de France or that we're checking samples to confirm positives,” McQuaid told Reuters’ Stephen Farrand. "It's looking like the Tour de France will not have any positive tests for a number of years.” McQuaid spoke to reporters Sunday during the final stage of the Tour of Ireland.

Dear Explainer, Why do doping control results take so long as compared to my own tests ordered by my doctor, for which I get results back in less than a week? Time and time again, results are announced many weeks after the control. I would have guessed with anything as high profile as the Giro or the Tour, results could be turned around in 48 hours. Why so long? I am also curious how cyclists can maintain their innocence even after both "A" and "B" samples show positive. It seems to me that a lab result is a lab result and if it shows dirty how can they argue?

Mikel Astarloza – the Basque climber who facing allegations that he took the banned blood booster EPO – says he never doped ahead of the 2009 Tour de France. Astarloza, winner of stage 16 and 11th overall in the this year’s Tour, is facing a possible two-year ban after urine samples taken in an out-of-competition control June 26, but strongly declared his innocence in an emotional press conference Tuesday.

Tour de France chief Christian Prudhomme was cautiously optimistic in celebrating a scandal-free 96th edition on Sunday. For the first time in recent history the world's biggest bike race avoided being dragged through the mire by drugs cheats. On this year's race only the sublime performances of Contador in the grueling mountain stages prompted some experts to raise eyebrows. However Contador, who won with a comfortable lead over his rivals, insists he is a clean Tour champion.

Danilo Di Luca tested positive for EPO during the Tour of Italy, in which he placed second, the UCI said Wednesday. The 33-year-old LPR team leader, who is not competing in the Tour de France, won two stages of the Giro and wore the leader's pink jersey for eight days. He finished second overall 41 seconds behind Rabobank's Denis Menchov. Di Luca was due to take part in the Brixia Tour in Italy on Thursday and had been targeting the world championships at the end of September in Mendrisio, Switzerland. The UCI Press Release:

Silence-Lotto's Thomas Dekker will miss the Tour de France after testing positive for the banned blood-booster EPO, his team announced on Wednesday. The sample was originally taken on December 24, of 2007, when Dekker was a member of the Rabobank team. The sample was re-tested using new techniques, which resulted in a positive test for EPO. "He found out on Wednesday morning that fresh analysis, carried out in May at the behest of WADA, on urine samples from a random doping control had turned up positive for EPO," the team said in a statement.

Ten days before the start of the Tour de France is a busy time for any ProTour team manager, but Wednesday was a particularly crazy day for Garmin-Slipstream team manager Jonathan Vaughters. During the same news cycle that reported rumors of Garmin’s interest in signing 2007 Tour de France champion Alberto Contador, the team also released its nine-man Tour roster, leaving off three active riders from last year’s squad.

The UCI’s anti-doping chief Anne Gripper said the vast majority of the elite peloton appears to be riding clean after months-long analysis of tell-tale blood parameters. Gripper was speaking at a press conference in Paris Wednesday where it was announced the pioneering 'biological passport' scheme launched by the UCI had snared five riders.

The Union Cycliste Internationale is seeking disciplinary measures against five riders based on results from its so-called “biological passport” program. The five — 2003 world road champion Igor Astarloa, Pietro Caucchioli (Lampre-N.G.C.), Francesco De Bonis (Serramenti PVC Diquigiovanni), Ruben Lobato Elvira and Ricardo Serrano (Fuji-Servetto) — are said to be in “apparent violation of the Anti-Doping Rules on the basis of the information provided by the blood profile in their biological passports,” the UCI charged in a press release Wednesday.

Team Astana has suspended Kazakh rider Assan Bazayev for 15 days for not providing sufficient whereabouts information required as part of the UCI’s biological passport program. The 28-year-old Bazayev was supposed to start the nine-day Tour de Suisse on Saturday, but Astana officials slapped him with an internal, 15-day racing ban Friday because he wasn’t being vigilant enough about informing anti-doping controllers on where he was.