Modern Adventure Joins MPCC Despite Hincapie and Julich Doping Admissions

The doping history of George Hincapie and Bobby Julich has caused delays in the admission of the new cycling team Modern Adventure Pro Cycling to the MPCC. The association for credible cycling conducted additional investigations into the confessions of both former American cyclists but has provisionally admitted Modern Adventure as a member.

The MPCC, which teams can voluntarily join, has stricter rules than the UCI and WADA in certain aspects regarding doping cases. "With the shared goal of protecting riders’ health, fairness, and the credibility of the sport, membership is therefore not automatic, and each application is assessed on its own merits," the organization states.

The newly formed ProTeam from the United States applied to join in October, but the involvement of George Hincapie as team manager and Bobby Julich as directeur sportif raised some eyebrows. Both admitted to doping more than ten years ago during their professional careers.

"Although these events are in the past, they remain relevant given cycling’s history and the importance of restoring trust in the sport. As a result, the MPCC board conducted additional investigations, during which team owner George Hincapie further explained their reasons for applying for membership," the MPCC said in a statement.

According to Hincapie, Modern Adventure aims to showcase what the future of cycling has to offer. "The sport has been damaged by doping scandals, and now we have the chance to restore that trust. Years ago, I personally witnessed the cultural shift in the sport, and I’ve seen both the harm caused when looking the other way and the progress possible when athletes choose integrity."

"By committing to the MPCC’s standards, we prove that clean athletes can perform at the highest level and that credibility is more important than quick success. I want our team to stand for integrity and to show the next generation of cyclists, including my son, that there is a better future for this sport we love," said Hincapie.

The MPCC board has decided to provisionally admit Modern Adventure to the association. Transparency and compliance with MPCC rules have been requested. "The MPCC will closely monitor this membership to ensure that these commitments are upheld in practice," they added.