This weekend, the Tour de France starts the 2016 edition. Thierry Braillard, French Secretary of State for Sport, yesterday presented a “device 100% reliable” technology to combat fraud (motors, electromagnetic wheel). At the request of the French government, the Commissariat for Atomic Energy (CEA) has developed thermal cameras to detect any source of unusual warmth on a bike. A test was conducted at the Championships in France last weekend.
“An engine off could have been detected. Nothing was found, even after the physical removal of the first three bikes in each category, in addition to those of randomly selected cyclists “, said David Lappartient, president of the French Cycling Federation (FFC) before the footage shot this weekend along the route Vesoul (Haute-Saône).
“If the rider is in the middle of the pack when it passes in front of the camera, you can miss, but it will not escape the other static controls and those made by motorcycle on different points of the race. Hiding the heat is very difficult, “added Vincent Berger, director of basic research at CEA. “Many tests will be conducted during the Tour, but you will not know how, where and when”, said Thierry Braillard.
Christian Prudhomme (Director of the Tour de France) and Brian Cookson (UCI president) have validated the use of this camera on the Tour. “The Tour is capital protection, so it is a solid yes. This camera is a deterrent weapon, “proclaimed Christian Prudhomme. “If you want to cheat, we’re out to get you and it will be impossible to do the Tour,” threatened Brian Cookson.
