The Paris-based AFLD has stayed out of the cycling feud, and as a gesture of goodwill it will forward all blood test results to the UCI to help with its biological passport profiles.

“There is no reason to have a conflict of interests,” Bordry said.

Bordry’s offer was welcomed by McQuaid.

“It it is another parameter, another point for all of those riders that we can put in their profile,” McQuaid said. “The fact that the Tour de France is being run outside the UCI and AFLD are doing it, which they are obligated to do because it is in French territory, that has nothing to do with the relationship between us.”

Teams will be fined up to $155,000 if one of its riders tests positive. Eric Boyer, head of the International Association of Professional Cyclist Groups, said the teams signed contracts accepting the new rule.

Under contract rules, France’s Chamber of Arbitration for Sport — which falls under the French national Olympic committee — can rule on alleged doping cases within 24 hours without the need for a “B” sample.

A rider can be thrown out before the start of the next day’s stage if he’s considered to be in breach of his contract.

With its tortuous mountain climbs in searing heat, lightning-fast bunched sprints, and perilous downhill chases on wet roads, the Tour is hard enough without all the bickering, the chopping and changing of rules, and the power struggles.

“Every organizer wants to put on a harder race, a bigger mountain, a harder time trial,” O’Grady said. “They’re putting the riders and athletes under more and more stress.

“The federations and the organizations don’t seem to get on,” he added. “At the end of the day we’re just trying to do the sport we love. It will be really disappointing if these guys can’t get on and they spoil the future of cycling.”

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