Why analyzing riders' power data could be cycling's new weapon in the fight against doping

In cycling’s ongoing fight against doping, investigators are turning — with the blessing of several major WorldTour teams — to the very thing cyclists are most protective of to detect signs of possible cheating: their power files.The International Testing Agency (ITA), the body that oversees anti-doping controls for the Olympic Games and for over 80 sporting federations including the International Cycling Union (UCI), began a two-year feasibility study at the start of this season to determine if unusual spikes in a rider’s power data could indicate the use of prohibited substances.Advertisement