UCI to keep doping samples of riders for 10 years

World cycling's governing body says doping samples of the top five riders in the Tour de France and other grand tours will be stored for 10 years. (Christophe Ena/AP)

AIGLE, Switzerland — World cycling’s governing body says doping samples of the top five riders in the Tour de France and other grand tours will be stored for 10 years for possible retesting in the future.

The UCI says a total of 656 doping controls were carried out during this year’s Tour de France, which was won by British rider Chris Froome.

The UCI says those samples will be kept for "potential retrospective analyses in the future."

In addition, the statement says in "all Grands Tours, all the collected samples concerning the best five riders in the general classification will be kept for 10 years" for possible reanalysis.

The other major tours are the Giro d’Italia and Spanish Vuelta.

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