Lance Armstrong has defended the decision to abandon his personal anti-doping tests, saying cycling’s strict biological passport has taken over.

When Armstrong started his sporting comeback a year ago at Adelaide’s Tour Down Under, a key element was that the record seven-time Tour de France winner would have his own testing.

The Texan has strongly argued against suspicions in some quarters about whether he dominated the Tour de France as a clean rider.

But it quickly became clear that having his own testing regime was too unwieldy, given he is subject to so many doping tests through various national and international agencies.

His new team RadioShack will not have any independent testing.

Cycling now has the biological passport, where factors such as blood values are monitored over an extended period to detect illegal manipulation.

“I did 52 controls last year and most of them included blood and urine,” Armstrong said.

“There would be no way to get around that unless you’ve got some stuff or voodoo, something – but that’s not an option.

“The biological passport has got to a point … that it controls all those things that an independent program would do, which is good news.

“I would just encourage, before they all say ‘RadioShack abandoned their plans for an independent testing program’, I’m not sure anyone will have one.”

Armstrong said independent testing was seen five years ago as the solution to cycling’s doping scourge, but contends such programs are now out of favour in the sport.

He was also frustrated last year that when his test results were put online, there were differing opinions about what they meant.

“You’ve got 1000 scientists looking at it, one of them says ‘this is suspicious’ – of course you’re going to have someone say that – that’s the story that gets printed,” he said.

“Obviously that’s frustrating for us.

Armstrong said there was a general consensus that the passport system was a step forward.

“I’m not sure it’s the perfect solution, but it’s the next level when it comes to fighting doping in sport,” he said.

Armstrong is back in Adelaide for the January 17-24 Tour Down Under, which starts on Sunday with the Cancer Council Classic.

The one-off street race is held at Adelaide’s East End and will be the domain of the sprinters, such as defending Tour champion Allan Davis and 2008 winner Andre Greipel of Germany.

For the first time, the Classic will start at 4pm so it can be televised live, rather than the traditional twilight timeslot.

The Tour itself starts on Tuesday.

© AAP 2012

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