Jonathan Vaughters, team manager of EF Education-EasyPost, told Cycling News that he is in favor of pre-race anti-doping blood testing to deter blood doping techniques uncovered by the investigation of Operation Adelrath, which will be conducted one hour before the start on the team bus to deter blood doping techniques uncovered by the Operation Adelrath investigation.

The Dutch website Wielerflits reports that "a number of World Tour teams" have lobbied the UCI and the World Anti-Doping Agency to introduce more stringent measures to close potential blood doping loopholes.

A German Aderlass police investigation launched in 2019 exposed a blood doping network that spanned multiple sports and led to the arrest and expulsion of several professional cyclists.

Among the techniques uncovered was that athletes would inject themselves with blood that had been collected and stored earlier in the day, just prior to competition. The blood was then removed immediately after the competition so as not to cause abnormalities in the blood parameters of the biological passport.

Early morning blood tests are occasionally conducted at major races, usually at the team hotel a few hours before the race. New tests could be conducted in team buses in the last hour before the race start to discourage athletes from transfusing blood for a particular race or stage.

According to Wielerfritz, Team DSM director Ivan Spekenbrink has lobbied the UCI to introduce testing in a tighter window.

Vaughters agrees. I'm in favor of testing," he told Cycling News. 13] "Of course, there may be problems with anti-doping inspectors getting on the bus 30 minutes before the start, but if it closes loopholes, is a good deterrent, and helps restore public confidence in the sport, then I'm for it. If it does, then I'm all for it."

The Voter

Vaughters had witnessed that Nordic skiers caught in the Edelrath investigation were using blood doping before big competitions, but was not convinced that similar methods were being used in cycling.

Blood doping is also used in professional cycling, but it is logistically difficult in an event like the Tour de France. Routine blood doping, such as that found in the Adelrath operation, can also leave traces of needle use on athletes' arms.

"I have no great concern that it's being done, but it's not a fallback, Vaughters asked.

He is confident that the athletes will be open to having their blood tested in the final hours before a big race or mountain stage.

"They may not necessarily be happy about it, but they will accept and understand that it is for sport," he said.

Doping was once organized and controlled by the teams. This was especially true when EPO was used openly and blood transfusions were used to gain an advantage in the Grand Tours.

Having witnessed the damage the doping scandal has done to the sport and to team sponsorship, many are eager to intensify the fight against doping and are prepared to increase their financial contributions.

Jumbo Visma team manager Richard Plagge, president of the AIGCP Team Association, told Wielerfritz that World Tour teams are prepared to significantly increase their financial contributions for anti-doping, contributing nearly 4 million euros per year. He stated that the WorldTour teams are prepared to significantly increase their financial contribution to anti-doping, contributing nearly 4 million euros annually. Race organizers and the UCI also contribute.

Vaughters hopes that each team will contribute a percentage of the total budget, with the wealthier teams contributing more.

"I always support increased spending on innovation regarding anti-doping," Vaughters told Cycling News.

"I think it's a bit ridiculous that some teams have a budget of 50 million euros but have to pay only $200,000 annually to the anti-doping fund. I would make it a flat percentage of each team's budget. I think about 5% of each team's budget would be appropriate.

"If you consider doping to be one of the biggest problems facing the sport, more money should be spent on it. I am willing to pay more for that."