This year, the stewards of the UCI cycling organisation are using new control devices in the Tour de France paddock. The "Automatic Equipment Control System" is designed to ensure that only compliant equipment is used in the race.
Tour de France 2023: Teams must report material to UCI
In the run-up to the Tour de France 2023, the teams had to report all of the equipment they intend to use in the race to the UCI in the form of Excel lists. This includes not only the frames, but also all components, helmets and clothing.
At the start of this year's Tour de France, however, the system still seemed immature according to several participants: the inspection at the start initially only affects the frames during the trial run. Each racing bike is fitted with an RFID chip under the top tube, which transmits the information via radio signal that it has previously been checked by the UCI. Only a few teams are checked at the start of a stage, selection is randomised.
The sensors are not yet the last word in wisdom either: they are simply stuck under the top tube with tape and regularly fly off under the daily bombardment of high-pressure jets. A new chip then has to be applied for in a time-consuming process.
How to check for engine doping at the Tour de France
In addition to the UCI's new automatic control system, other inspectors will be walking through the Tour de France 2023 paddock, scanning frames and rims with tablets in search of hidden electric motors - so-called motor doping.
The procedure actually checks all the racing bikes in the paddock that are lined up in front of the buses - but not those on the roofs of the cars. At the finish, the stage winner, the classification jersey holders and a handful of randomly selected or suspicious riders are checked again.
Tablets should recognise magnets
The tablets are supposed to recognise the magnets that are necessary for electric drives. Unfortunately, the commissioners are not particularly cooperative, we tried from all angles but couldn't recognise anything on the displays with the best will in the world.
