The Mouvement Pour un Cyclisme Crédible (MPCC) met in Paris on Tuesday 24 October, on the eve of the official presentation of the Tour de France 2024, for its annual General Meeting. Its members, following a 2023 season marked by a climate of latent suspicion, no longer want to be the only ones taking action. The MPCC is targeting January 1, 2024 for a greater awareness: the credibility of our sport depends on it.
 

At its Annual General Meeting, the MPCC set the scene for the 18th year of its existence, with a view to reflecting on how far it has come, talking about the present and, above all, the future. When the movement was created in 2007 in London, at the start of the Tour de France, cycling was surrounded by scandals. To enhance the credibility of their sport, a number of team managers, believing in the voluntary basis, decided to adopt stricter rules to complement those of the governing bodies. Today, 70% of first or second division teams are members of the MPCC.

 

Over the past 17 years, their commitment has always been driven by a strong will: to be a player in the fight against doping.
  • This was the case when the MPCC played its role as whistleblower with the WADA on the subject of corticosteroids and tramadol.
  • This was the case when, over a period of twelve years, the MPCC carried out more than 4,000 tests to prevent the misuse of corticosteroids, until they were banned by WADA.
  • This was the case when the MPCC unreservedly supported the increase in budgets to support the work of the International Testing Agency (ITA).
  • This was the case when the MPCC incorporated into its regulations the principle of self-suspension of a team after two positive cases in the last twelve months. The UCI adopted this rule.
  • This was the case when the MPCC noted, each year, that its members complied 100% with a set of internal rules that had never changed a single line.
  • This was the case from 2007 to 2023, and will continue.

 

All the members of the MPCC – teams, riders, staff, agents, federations, organisers, sponsors – are repeating it today:their determination will not be weakened.
  • This was not the case when, in 2015, 2018 and 2019, two teams and two federations withdrew from the MPCC, disagreeing with the internal regulations on cortisol levels.
  • This was not the case either when, in 2016, another member team failed to comply with the internal rule not to hire a rider who had been suspended for more than six months.

 

 

The top six teams in the UCI 2023 men’s world ranking, and the top three women’s teams, are not members of the MPCC. They are strongly encouraged to join the movement between now and 1 January. Several of their riders have already decided to commit themselves as individuals.

At the MPCC, we are active players. And even proactive.

The MPCC’s action is supported by the ITA. For 2024, it is proposing that the teams’ financial contribution to the ITA should no longer be a fixed fee, but indexed to each team’s budget, in a context where “two-speed cycling” is becoming established in terms of financial resources.

The MPCC is invited each year by the UCI to attend its Professional Cycling Council (PCC) as an observer. The MPCC also benefits unreservedly from the support of Tour de France Director Christian Prudhomme, who is determined each year to award his wild cards only to teams that are members of our movement.

The MPCC is continuing and will continue to commit to stricter rules to complement those of the authorities. To teams that are not members, we say: come on! Be a player! The persistent climate of latent suspicion requires action, forces to “keep the lights on” and demands commitment.

 

Over 600 riders and more than 400 team staff have joined the MPCC on a voluntary basis. To the others: come along too! To their employers: give them the freedom to commit to the MPCC according to their ethical and personal convictions.

 

So that the light doesn’t end up going out in the tunnel,
Be an active player in the fight!

The MPCC