LANCE ARMSTRONG'S momentarily halted, but ultimately successful, entry into the Tour Down Under has caused cycling's international governing body to review the drug-testing requirements it imposes on athletes coming out of retirement.
While strict application of anti-doping rules relating to retired cyclists would have prevented Armstrong from competing in the event in Adelaide in January, the UCI yesterday announced that an exception would be made for the seven-time Tour de France winner.
Under the rules, Armstrong, who registered for anti-doping testing again on August 1, would not have been eligible to compete professionally until 12 days after the Tour Down Under finished.
A statement released by the UCI explaining the decision implied that the anti-doping regulations it set four years ago, which specify a cyclist coming out of retirement must be subjected to testing for at least six months before being able to return to top-level competition, were outdated.
"The UCI has taken into account the progress made in its anti-doping programme since 2004. As a result of the improvements implemented [dramatic increase in the number of tests, particularly out-of-competition, and the introduction of the biological passport], riders are now subject to a much-reinforced system of monitoring compared to that of the past," the statement said.
"Consequently, the aim of Article 77 at the time of its introduction in 2004 [to ensure that a rider returning to competition is subject to the same degree of testing as active riders] can be better achieved through careful application of the current methods of the anti-doping programme than by the strict application of a time period."
The UCI statement noted that Armstrong would "be the subject of very strict monitoring throughout the period running up to his return to the peloton".
Tour Down Under race director Mike Turtur, who was informed of the development by South Australia's tourism minister around 3:30am yesterday, was relieved by the decision.
He said critics accusing the UCI of bending the rules for Armstrong were misguided.
"Everyone's missing the point here," Turtur said. "If he was serving a disciplinary penalty of six months or a doping penalty then there would be no argument. The rider would have to serve the six months regardless.
"Without any shadow of a doubt all of the information required by the anti-doping program for the biological passport will be obtained by the UCI well before the Tour Down Under is staged. So what is the point of enforcing a 12-day period that's going to achieve nothing? Everyone should congratulate the UCI on seeing it that way because it's commonsense.
"It always takes something like this, whether it's this or anything else, for something to be changed.
"We shouldn't get away from the fact that Armstrong made a statement, right from the word go, that his prime reason for doing this is to raise the awareness of cancer, the fundraising opportunities and the treatment and all the things that go with it. Secondary was riding the bike. But he said, 'I can get the message out there clearer and louder if I'm on the bike'."
Armstrong also released a statement expressing his pleasure: "I look forward to my return to racing at the Tour Down Under and more importantly I am excited to get to Adelaide to begin our global cancer campaign."