“We’re 100% against this” - Riders’ Union boss speaks out against power data passport in pro cycling

The riders’ union has taken a hard stance against the idea of a power data passport in professional cycling, with CPA president Adam Hansen insisting there is no appetite in the peloton for the concept to move beyond its current pilot stage.

“Now they’re only testing it this year with four teams, and the CPA’s position is very clear: we’re 100% against this and so are the riders,” Hansen said in conversation with Domestique.

The project is being developed by the International Testing Agency as a longitudinal monitoring tool based on riders’ power files, with the aim of supporting intelligence-led anti-doping work and sharpening targeted testing.

But Hansen’s concern is not only about how the data might be used today, but where it could lead once it becomes normalised.

“What they’re testing this year is power data,” Hansen said. “The riders have to submit all the power data, and then they’ll go through it all. If they see things that are irregular, then they'll do more target testing or maybe in the future this could also mean a sanction in itself.”

That possibility is the line in the sand for the CPA: a system built from training and racing files that could evolve from analysis into consequences.

Hansen also questioned how a voluntary pilot can stay voluntary once the infrastructure exists and expectations build around compliance.

“Ok, it’s only a test. It’s only voluntary, but my question is, ‘What happens if the rider does not submit his power data?’”

He added that the reassurance he has heard does not address the underlying issue. “And they are like, ‘Ah, but it’s just a test.’”

Hansen pointed to the practical reality that power data is not always clean, complete, or even available, for reasons that have nothing to do with intent. “And if your Garmin falls off, which happens sometimes, and you can’t upload your files, or if your Garmin’s flat, does that mean you can’t go training?”

For riders, the risk is not just technical hassle, but how missing data might be interpreted. “There’s so many factors where a rider just won’t have his training data, and if he can’t submit it, is that a missed control? Because a missed test is very severe.”

Hansen contrasted the proposal with the biological passport, which relies on consistent biological markers rather than performance numbers that can swing with context. “With your blood, it remains very consistent, so the biological passport is not a bad idea,” he said. “The problem with the power data is how do they know what the riders are doing?”

He argued that without visibility of the plan behind the numbers, the data can mislead rather than clarify. “What if your coach tells you to ride 80% for three weeks and then he says tomorrow you’re going to ride 120% for a shorter period. Without knowing the training programme given by the coach, how do they know what the rider is doing?”

And he questioned the foundations of any supposed baseline built from an incomplete context. “And they’re creating a baseline for the athlete off that easy zone, but that’s not the true baseline.”

Hansen also framed the debate in terms of what riders are already being asked to handle day to day. “This just adds to the extra stress for the athletes. To me, it’s just getting too much. And that’s why you see these younger guys are just burning out. They can't survive.”

For now, the ITA project remains a pilot involving a limited number of teams. But Hansen’s message is that the direction of travel matters as much as the current scope, especially if performance files ever start to carry consequences rather than simply informing testing.