Motor doping: the absent tech fraud tests that threaten cycling’s credibility; is Jumbo-QuickStep merger on? How Cat Ferguson leapt to the WorldTour

RadioCycling

Talk of mergers are on the news menu just about everywhere, but before we turn to the latest on that issue, RadioCycling has quite a scoop...
X-ray machines and iPads have been touted as the means to prevent motor-doping and reassure everyone in cycling that the sport is technologically clean. However, a RadioCycling investigation has found that, despite the UCI stating that “it carries out bike tests at all UCI men’s and women’s WorldTour events”, that is not the reality.
Our canvassing of the 51 WorldTour and Women's WorldTour races reveals that there are huge holes in the technological testing programme, even extending to the Grand Tours, while at least one major stage race has not seen any testing since 2021. We dig into the details and ask the question: is the absence of tech fraud testing threatening cycling’s credibility?
We can't, of course, avoid the merger mayhem that's enveloped the sport. But is the reported fusion of Jumbo-Visma and Soudal-QuickStep simply an attempt to bring another big player back to the negotiating table? We pick over the latest rumours and discuss why this story provides another indication of cycling's flawed financial model.
We then turn to Cat Ferguson, the outstandingly successful 17-year-old British junior who's signed a three-year deal with Movistar. We hear from her dad, Tim Ferguson, who provides the background to his daughter's transformation from Britain's second-best slalom skier to becoming the one rider almost every WorldTour team wanted to sign, and also hear about the Yorkshire team that's propelling Cat and a number of other girls to the top level.

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