{"id":1683352,"date":"2026-01-29T04:35:52","date_gmt":"2026-01-29T01:35:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1683352"},"modified":"2026-01-29T04:35:52","modified_gmt":"2026-01-29T01:35:52","slug":"would-a-power-passport-help-detect-dopers-why-the-new-uci-scheme-is-not-all-it-seems","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1683352","title":{"rendered":"Would a \u2018Power Passport\u2019 Help Detect Dopers? Why the New UCI Scheme Is Not All It Seems"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Updated January 30, 2026 03:44AM<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

A data passport is definitely not<\/em> the best way for the UCI to detect dopers.<\/p>\n

At least, that\u2019s the opinion of the pros who might be subject to a new scheme being trialed by the governing body and its independent testing agency, the ITA.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe CPA\u2019s position is very clear: we\u2019re 100 percent against this, and so are the riders,\u201d rider representative Adam Hansen said this week.<\/p>\n

The concept of a \u201cpower passport\u201d was proposed last summer.<\/p>\n

Puzzling changes in a rider\u2019s power output or training load? Further lab testing is required.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe riders have to submit all the power data, and then they [the ITA] go through it all,\u201d Hansen told the Domestique \u201cHotseat\u201d podcast.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf they see things that are irregular, then they\u2019ll do more target testing, or maybe in the future this could also mean a sanction.\u201d<\/p>\n

Riders and team trainers contacted by Velo<\/em> this week expressed uncertainty over a concept riddled with potholes and loopholes.<\/p>\n

A faulty power meter, a switch from Shimano cranks to SRAM, or a trip to altitude are among the multiple factors that can introduce variances to a power profile. Even training indoors vs. out can change a rider\u2019s output.<\/p>\n

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Hansen, who is president of the CPA riders group, fears a requirement to submit training files would pile further pressure onto a peloton that\u2019s already pushing toward burnout.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf your Garmin falls off, which happens sometimes, and you can\u2019t upload your files, or if your Garmin\u2019s flat, does that mean you can\u2019t go training?\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are so many factors where a rider just won\u2019t have their training data \u2013 and if they can\u2019t submit it, is that a missed control?\u201d Hansen said. \u201cA missed test is very severe, so this just adds to the extra stress for the athletes.\u201d<\/p>\n

Training load, not power peaks<\/h2>\n
\"ITA
ITA will use training load over time to help detect abnormalities that might merit further testing.<\/span> (Photo: Gruber Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The \u201cpower passport\u201d scheme is currently being tested by four teams ahead of a potential further rollout, and it\u2019s already hot gossip.<\/p>\n

The \u201cone-year feasibility study\u201d will enter a planned year-2 pilot sooner than the peloton knows it.<\/p>\n

Speaking to Velo<\/em> on Thursday, Jayco-AlUla trainer Peter Leo cautioned against all the criticism of the UCI\u2019s new project.<\/p>\n

The Austrian physiologist is working with the governing body and its testing agency on the initial tests and explained the nuance.<\/p>\n

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\u201cIt\u2019s a bit of a hot topic. Riders are pretty unsure about participating,\u201d Leo told Velo<\/em>.<\/p>\n

\u201cRiders don\u2019t understand they have quite strict privacy and data anonymisation, so there won\u2019t be consequences if they participate in trial. It\u2019s a very emotional topic, they say \u2018what if my power meter is wrong?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Leo explained that the ITA isn\u2019t looking for 2000-watt spikes or 15 W\/kg intervals, but periodic training load.<\/p>\n

The kilojoule numbers spat out by power meters are being used to model a reasonable training progression that will help red-flag juiced-up outliers.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re looking at work completed in training, at the kJ over time,\u201d Leo told Velo<\/em>. \u201cThey analyse it retrospectively and prospectively, and try to establish cut-offs.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s a more robust way than looking at power outputs alone. It\u2019s more robust against any outliers.\u201d<\/p>\n

As the ITA statement explained last July:<\/p>\n

\u201cFindings from the first year will be used to develop a model of \u2018normal\u2019 and \u2018expected\u2019 career trajectory performance over time. This allows for the identification of \u2018abnormal\u2019 or \u2018unexpected\u2019 performances. This will help identify \u2018abnormal\u2019 or \u2018unexpected\u2019 patterns that may indicate possible performance enhancement.<\/p>\n

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\u201cWhile the model is not intended to serve as direct evidence of an anti-doping rule violation, it will act as an important additional intelligence tool to support the ITA\u2019s broader anti-doping strategy.\u201d<\/p>\n

The perils of profiling power<\/h2>\n
\"UCI
The UCI\u2019s power profiling would need added context to provide a full picture.<\/span> (Photo: Gruber Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The data passport is an intriguing concept, no matter how the ITA chooses to interrogate athletes\u2019 power files.<\/p>\n

The UCI is currently on an anti-doping crackdown that\u2019s led to a handful of suspensions in the past six months. Training data will guide the governing body\u2019s biological testing and add fresh sophistication to its quest to keep cycling \u201cclean.\u201d<\/p>\n

But it\u2019s not so simple.<\/p>\n

Speaking to Domestique<\/em>, Hansen raised multiple concerns.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith your blood, it remains very consistent, so the biological passport is not a bad idea,\u201d Hansen said. \u201cThe problem with power data is how do the testers know what the riders are doing?<\/p>\n

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\u201cWhat if your coach tells you to ride 80 percent for three weeks, and then he says, \u2018tomorrow you\u2019re going to ride 120 percent for a shorter period.\u2019 How do they know without looking at the training program what the rider is doing? And then they\u2019re creating a baseline for the athlete off that easy zone, but that\u2019s not the true baseline.\u201d<\/p>\n

As Hansen outlines on the podcast, the data passport is a strong concept that\u2019s hard to implement without multiple layers of context.<\/p>\n

\u201cI can\u2019t see how they\u2019re going to really find [true] irregularities in the training,\u201d Hansen said. \u201cAlso, sleep plays a part in it, caffeine plays a part in it, or what if they go to the gym? That\u2019s going to affect their training.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are so many variables that change the power data.\u201d<\/p>\n

And more to the point, how do the UCI and ITA know if a rider\u2019s dataset is complete, and their own?<\/p>\n

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Watts the problem with UCI trials?<\/h2>\n
Leo at Jayco-AlUla is helping with trials that could help promote the transparency of the sport.<\/span> (Photo: Antonio Baixauli\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The UCI and ITA are presumably working through all these wrinkles in their year-1 test.<\/p>\n

And while they do that, Jayco-AlUla trainer and project collaborator Leo told Velo<\/em> the peloton should pause for breath.<\/p>\n

The power passport is still more a concept than a reality. And what\u2019s the problem with increased scrutiny on a fast-developing sport?<\/p>\n

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\u201cI don\u2019t think it\u2019s bad they want to explore something, and there\u2019s been research since 2018 that power output could be used in a meaningful way as an anti-doping tool,\u201d Leo said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the end of the day, we all want a clean sport. These tests don\u2019t automatically mean they\u2019ll introduce it. I think we need a bit of a less emotional discussion about it, and appreciate that the UCI is looking to improve the transparency of the sport.\u201d<\/p>\n

The peloton will be watching this space, and ensuring they don\u2019t adjust their power meters.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Updated January 30, 2026 03:44AM<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Source URL: https:\/\/velo.outsideonline.com\/road\/road-racing\/uci-power-passport-doping\/<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Updated January 30, 2026 03:44AM A data passport is definitely not the best way for the UCI to detect dopers. At least, that\u2019s the opinion of the pros who might be subject to a new scheme being trialed by the governing body and its independent testing agency, the ITA. \u201cThe CPA\u2019s position is very clear: […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1683359,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[226,71],"class_list":["post-1683352","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-politics","tag-crawlmanager","tag-velo-outsideonline-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1683352","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1683352"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1683352\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1683359"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1683352"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1683352"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1683352"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}