Injecting blood-cheats keep UCI on their toes

PARIS: Pledges to take the battle to the drugs cheats at next month's Tour de France are likely to be kept in check by a painful reality: the lack of a detection test for autologous blood doping.

After years of battling doping scandals the Tour is again hoping for a scandal-free edition next month, backed by a newly-improved battery of anti-doping tests with specific targeting of potential cheats.

UCI president Pat McQuaid and the French Anti Doping Agency (AFLD) were cautiously optimistic on Wednesday after unveiling wide-ranging anti-doping measures for the July 4-26 race.