Par
Maxime T’Sjoen
Published on
It is not a secret for anyone: if the month of July rhymes with the large loop, the bikes and the caravan, doping rumors are also legion in the head of the general public.
The largest cycling race in the world suffers past excesses and amateurs question current performance. In this heavy context, the International Testing Agency (ITA) is in charge of anti -doping controls. Its objective: “keep the light on” in Protecting the integrity of the race.
Olivier Banuls is the head of controls and responsible for the ITA anti -doping program. During the rest day of the Tour de France 2025 in Toulouse, Tuesday July 15, 2025, he answered questions fromactu.fr.
Actu : We are on the largest cycling race in the world. What does the test program on the Tour de France look like?
Olivier Banuls : There are several parts. Before departure, all the athletes were tested in a generalized control. This allows medical and anti -doping follow -up. We harvest a lot of data in the context of the biological passport to better target our controls throughout the race.
And during the race?
O.B. : There are staff for urinary samples, blood and chaperons which must notify athletes of an anti -doping control. The majority of ITA staff agents work in Lausanne (Switzerland) in our offices, to coordinate, supervise all operations. And select the athletes that we are going to control.
Do you select them according to performance?
O.B. : There is no longer random control. There are a lot of factors that are taken into account in a control plan. The winner of the stage and the yellow jersey are controlled by default, but also other athletes that we select on the basis of various information. Performance is one of them. But this can be the data of the biological passport, information collected by our investigation team or any other person who would provide us with information.
Does that mean that an Ita agent looks at the race and decides who to control?
O.B. : There is upstream planning, but many people follow the Tour de France and can adjust the program. This is important: we are flexible, we can change our plans on the basis of any information.
You mentioned the biological passport earlier: what is it?
O.B. : It is not a paper passport as if to travel. It is an individual electronic document that takes into account all the results obtained by the athlete throughout his career. A biological passport is made up of specific profiles: we have the hematological profile, the steroid profile and the endocrine profile. It is these sets of biomarkers that are followed by ITA on the basis of tests carried out throughout the year. All tests on the Tour de France are the consequence of the tests carried out upstream of the race, from January 1 to December 31.
Once the control is carried out, how long take the analyzes?
O.B. : It’s pretty fast. Except in special cases, we have a period of 72 hours to have the results. They are then analyzed by our teams.
In total, how many tests represent?
O.B. : These are 600 samples taken. Mostly blood. Over an entire year, we are talking about 7000 checks in male cyclists on the road. Today, Ita [pour le compte de l’UCI, NDLR.] To one of the widest programs in terms of volume of controls within international federations. As part of the biological passport, almost one out of five sample is taken for cycling.
You have a massive detection program. However, we hear little about positive cases …
O.B. : On the largest categories [World Team, Pro Team, NDLR.]statistics are what they are. On the other hand, it is necessary to underline the importance placed on the lower levels. Last year, we had two positive cases at the EPO on the U23 championships in Zurich. This means that the efforts are there to protect sport, but also so that the safeguards have been set up for athletes who will then go into the best categories.
Do we have a proportion of positive results?
O.B. : In proportion, with the number of tests carried out over the year, we are around 1 % on abnormal analytical results. But we are not talking about violations of anti-doping rules. The statistics are low, but in the standards of what is done worldwide in all sports.
Are you investigating past cases at the moment?
O.B. : With all the efforts put in place by the International Cycling Union and with the expertise that we have internally today, we also see a strengthening in the hematological biological passport. There are cases that we are investigating [pas nécessairement sur le Tour de France, NDLR.] That does not mean that there will be possible violations of the regulation afterwards, that means that today, we have potential cases. There is work upstream and during the event, but also all this work of scientific investigation around potential cases. So today, there is a question mark on the number of (potential) cases in progress – and we will see later.
How does it go in the event of an anomaly?
“This means that it is necessary to analyze possible anomalies with independent experts. These experts submit an opinion, then transmitted to an athlete who benefits from a period to provide explanations. These explanations are then reviewed by the experts who give a final opinion. And on the basis of this verdict, it is either a possible violation of the anti -doping regulations on the basis of an abnormal biological passport, or the case is closed.”
Is it possible that today, teams have found substances that you do not detect?
O.B. : It’s possible, yes. However, it is the laboratories that have methods for detecting substances. Somewhere, we are dependent on what laboratories can detect. It is a collaborative work: the World Anti -Doping Agency must set up research programs, labs must constantly improve their detection methods, and put in place the smartest research programs.
Can we then completely go back on past track records?
O.B. : Exactly. If a substance is prohibited, that today the molecule is undetectable, but that will be possible in five years and that we drive reanalysis, it will be possible to notify the athlete for a possible violation of the anti -doping regulations.
Today, we can’t say that the Tour de France is biased?
O.B. : Equity is respected because the program is implemented with all the regulations in force. On the other hand, what is important is to keep in mind that it is not because the results are negative today that they will not be tomorrow. We have a long -term sampling storage policy that allows us future analyzes, through possible scientific developments. It is a very important message for athletes.
We cannot therefore exclude that some teams continue to play with fire …
O.B. : We are talking about scientific development. If an athlete thinks that a substance is not detectable and takes it, it ends in danger in the context of a reanalysis in future years.
These doping rumors have seriously tarnished the image of the bicycle for years. It is an additional responsibility.
O.B. : The context is not easy: treatment is not the same according to sports. When the Tour de France arrives, there is a considerable resonance box. We have to keep the light on! Thanks to all the efforts of cycling families, thanks to financial efforts, our role is to do everything to protect sport. No matter what is said in the media or with the general public.
Interview carried out on July 15, 2025, in Toulouse.
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