Modern Adventure Pro Cycling Granted Provisional MPCC Membership Despite Past Doping Links
- The Mouvement Pour un Cyclisme Crédible (MPCC) has granted provisional membership to Modern Adventure Pro Cycling, America’s newest elite men’s road racing team, following a period of heightened...
- At the center of the review were George Hincapie, a co-owner and founder of the team, and Bobby Julich, who oversees performance and coaching.
- The MPCC, an independent anti-doping advocacy group, requires members to adhere to standards exceeding those set by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI).
The Mouvement Pour un Cyclisme Crédible (MPCC) has granted provisional membership to Modern Adventure Pro Cycling, America’s newest elite men’s road racing team, following a period of heightened scrutiny regarding the past doping violations of two key members of its management. The decision, announced on , underscores the complexities of integrating individuals with checkered pasts into a sport striving to rebuild its credibility.
At the center of the review were George Hincapie, a co-owner and founder of the team, and Bobby Julich, who oversees performance and coaching. Both Hincapie and Julich publicly admitted to anti-doping violations during their respective professional racing careers, a fact that prompted the MPCC to undertake “additional due diligence” before extending membership.
The MPCC, an independent anti-doping advocacy group, requires members to adhere to standards exceeding those set by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI). Its guidelines include stricter medical protocols, longer return-to-racing periods after illness or injury, and a commitment to transparency in anti-doping practices. Membership is voluntary, and each application is assessed individually.
“Joining the MPCC is a voluntary step. Teams choose to commit to standards that go beyond the minimum rules set by the authorities, with the shared aim of protecting rider health, fairness, and the credibility of cycling,” the MPCC stated. “Membership is therefore not automatic, and each application is considered on its own merits.”
The board’s consideration of Hincapie and Julich’s past admissions was explicitly acknowledged. “As part of this process, the board considered the fact that team manager George Hincapie and sporting director Bobby Julich publicly admitted anti-doping violations during their racing careers more than a decade ago. Although these events are in the past, they remain relevant given cycling’s history and the importance of rebuilding trust in the sport.”
Modern Adventure’s application came last fall as the team’s roster and infrastructure began to solidify. The team represents the first major new U.S. Men’s road project in over a decade with ambitions to compete on the European professional circuit. The MPCC’s approval, albeit provisional, is a significant step forward for the fledgling organization.
Hincapie’s admission in involved the use of banned performance-enhancing drugs during portions of his career. He was implicated in the USADA investigation that led to a lifetime ban for Lance Armstrong and received a six-month suspension himself, from to . His race results from to were also stripped.
Julich, similarly, confessed to using EPO between and after being required to disclose any past doping violations while working as a coach for Team Sky. This led to his dismissal from the British team.
The MPCC will “follow this membership with particular attention to ensure these commitments are upheld in practice,” signaling a continued level of oversight for Modern Adventure. The group was founded in in response to a series of high-profile doping scandals that plagued the sport.
Hincapie emphasized the importance of joining the MPCC as a commitment to the future of cycling. “Joining the MPCC is important to me because it’s about more than just our team, it’s about the future of cycling,” he said in a statement. “The sport has been damaged by doping scandals, and we have an opportunity to be part of rebuilding that trust.”
He continued, “I witnessed firsthand the cultural shift in the sport many years ago, and I’ve seen both the damage that comes from turning a blind eye and the progress that’s possible when athletes choose integrity. By committing to the MPCC’s enhanced transparency standards, we’re proving that clean athletes can compete at the highest level and that credibility matters more than shortcuts. I want our team to stand for integrity and show the next generation of cyclists — one of whom happens to be my son — that there’s a better way forward for this sport we love.”
The UCI permits formerly banned riders to work in various capacities within the sport once their suspensions are completed, and individual teams are free to establish their own staffing policies. Modern Adventure has already demonstrated a commitment to distancing itself from controversial figures, having previously severed ties with a podcast hosted by Lance Armstrong and removing the associated logo from team jerseys. It remains unclear whether this action was directly related to the MPCC approval process.
The MPCC currently comprises seven WorldTour teams, 13 ProTeams, and 13 Continental teams on the men’s side, alongside five Women’s WorldTeams, six Women’s ProTeams, and two Women’s Continental teams for . Staff members, race organizers, and individual riders can also join independently.
Modern Adventure made its racing debut earlier this season at the AlUla Tour and is scheduled to compete next week at the UAE Tour. The team’s ability to navigate the challenges of a demanding European calendar while upholding the MPCC’s stringent standards will be closely watched as it seeks to establish itself as a legitimate contender in the professional peloton.