Cycling officials vow to fight doping at Tour de France

International cycling officials will team with a French anti-doping agency to test for cheaters at the upcoming Tour de France.

The work will begin with every rider being checked before the start of the famed race on Saturday.

“This partnership demonstrates that all anti-doping organizations can join forces to ensure the reputation of cycling,” Brian Cookson, president of the International Cycling Union, said on Thursday.

No sport and perhaps no single event has suffered more negative publicity during the doping era. Lance Armstrong, who won the Tour de France a record seven times, was stripped of his titles after acknowledging that he used performance-enhancing drugs during much of his career.

The UCI and its French partner, AFLD, have enacted several measures to fight doping at cycling’s premier event.

The agencies will share information in targeting certain athletes for testing during the nearly monthlong race. Some samples will be kept for as long as several years to allow for retroactive analysis should new types of tests become available.

On Wednesday, it was announced that South African rider Daryl Impey would not compete because of a failed test.