Until they come together...

I think that the reason why cycling is neck deep in this doping mess is the absence of a body who has an iron grip of the sport, similar to what FIFA or F1 is doing to football and Formula 1, respectively. While it is true that there is the UCI who governs pro cycling, it has never made inroads like its sporting counterparts. Here are the different "Chefs" and how they are spoiling my cycling brunch.

1. International Cycling Union (UCI). The world governing body of cycling. It issues licenses to professional riders, organizes the annual World Cycling Championships, and a lot of other things except that they have no say when it comes to the biggest cycling race in the world, the Tour de France, like FIFA having no say in the World Cup. In reality, it's a lame duck organization when it comes to cycling's marquee event. For years now, the UCI have tried to challenge the dominance of the Tour de France by lumping together a group of races that they call the "PRO TOUR", where points are given to the race winners and a PRO TOUR CHAMPION declared at the end of the year. With ASO (and RCN and Unipublic) against it, it will never work.

2. Amaury Sports Organization (ASO). The owners and organizers of the Tour are not about to give a piece of the money pie to the UCI, no sir! They know that they can pretty well survive without the politics of the UCI and they know how to market their race very well. So who needs the UCI? ASO packs so much power that sometimes it rears it ugly head. For instance, to say that ASO had nothing to do with Jan Ullrich and Ivan Basso not in the Tour is BS.

3. Association of Professional Cycling Groups (AIGCP). The former president of AIGCP was Manolo Saiz and the director sportif of Liberty Seguros was one of the main characters in the doping investigation called, "Operation Peurta" last May. The current president is Belgain Patrick Lefevre, the team director of QUICKSTEP. A few days ago, Lefevre was heard talking about suing Floyd Landis for. "what he has done to cycling". Hello? This is person who hired the poster boy of doping, Richard Virenque. The same Lefevre who hired Johan Museeuw as QUICKSTEP's PR man, currently banned for 4 years for doping. The same person who hired a mentally unstable Frank Vandenbroucke, who, when caught with doping products at his home, said that it was for his dog!!!

4. Association of Professional Cyclists (ACP). Headed by former hour record holder Francesco Moser (the equivalent of Billy Hunter, NBA Player's Union), the last time I heard about the ACP was in January of this year, when Moser wanted more say of riders in the PRO TOUR. Until today, not even a whimper has been heard from this Giro d'Italia champion who won the Giro when the RCS modified the course to suit him.

5. RCS and UNIPUBLIC. Organizers of the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a Espagna respectively, and the lesser two of the three grand tours, they are effectively hiding behind the skirt of ASO. Both knew that the UCI are only after the financial interest of their races. Teaming up with ASO allows them to put up a brave face to the UCI.

Drug Testing In RP?

Here's what lawyer Goyo Larrazabal, race director of the popular Terry Larrazabal Bike Festival in Ormoc, has to say about drug testing.

If you intend to follow the requirements set by the UCI in doing doping testing here for a race, you'll have to consider these requirements:

1. We have to bring in a UCI accredited Doping Commissaire from around Asia or Australia. We pay all the expenses including airfare, transportation, accommodations and their UCI set daily allowance.

2. We have to provide the medicines and facilities for the tests, including support staff.

3. We have to send the results to a UCI-accredited testing facility. The nearest facilities are in Australia and China by FedEx, UPS or DHL.

4. We pay the fees for testing the sample. (Estimated cost: $600). Then you have to pay for shipment back to the Philippines. Is the PSC, Philcycling and Bert Lina ready for this?