Euskaltel to start independent testing

In a move to avoid last year's doping scandals repeating themselves and to ensure their sponsors' continued loyalty, Euskaltel have signed an agreement with a laboratory in Zamudio to carry out internal doping controls in addition to the UCI, WADA and all the other anti-doping agencies. Each rider will be tested between four and six times, with a quarter of those to be surprise tests. The team wont go public with the results, but the sponsors will have unrestricted access. It will cost Euskaltel 400 000 euros to finance the testing, but it's definetely worth it, both for the sport in general, and for the future of the team in particular.