The International Cycling Union (UCI) together with the French Anti-doping Agency (AFLD) had signed an agreement Friday concerning the drug-testing measures which will be used in the week long Paris-Nice stage race.

UCI president Pat McQuaid all too happily confirmed the strong desire between the two organizations to work with one another. The truth of the matter is, even AFLD president Pierre Bordry had declared himself to be “very satisfied” with the agreement. He added that the drug-testing program that will be used in the Paris-Nice races would work as a test of the new collaboration involving the two bodies throughout the 2009 Tour de France.

The competition is slated to run between March 8 and 15.

McQuad said that after the Paris-Nice, they will have to re-evaluate the results of the program. Although as it stands all arrows are pointing to the collaboration continuing further than this week’s races.

According to a report from the Agence France Presse, the AFLD took sole credit for the drug testing at the 2008 Tour de France as well as last year’s Paris-Nice races. This was after after a disagreement ensued between the UCI and the Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO) - the designated race organizer at that time - after the two prestigious events were reclassified as “national” rather than international cycling events.

The two bodies eventually patched things up. But even then the AFLD feared the possibility that it would be relegated to a reduced role. After having exposed seven instances of doping before the conclusion of last year’s Tour - including the Italian rider Riccardo Ricco who obtained a positive test for Cera (Cera is a previously unidentified strain of the barred blood booster EPO).

Based on the agreement inked by both parties on Friday, the AFLD has retained its position in testing as well as in the analysis of samples. In addition, the AFLD has also been granted the power to actively taget cyclists who are suspected to have doping offenses.

The collaboration of efforts by these two organizations is a powerful method for them to combat the ill-effects and repercussions of doping in the sports world.

Just a bit of background, the Paris-Nice stage races is more popularly called as the race to the sun. It is a professional cycling competition held in march of every year since 1933.

Despite bearing the name Paris–Nice, the competition does not necessarily commence in Paris bit in a small town located far south of the French capital. The final leg of the race though always takes place at the Promenade des Anglais in the city of Nice - with the most difficulty or penultimate stage requiring passage through the Col d’Eze, which is a mountain pass leading to Nice.

The 2008 Paris- Nice stage race was won by Italian cyclist Davide Rebellin. The race is organized yearly by the ASO. The same organization also runs the Tour de France and the Paris-Roubaix. It also organizes other sporting events such as the Paris-Dakar and the Paris Marathon.

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