MPCC approves Modern Adventure after 'additional due diligence' on Hincapie and Julich

Hincapie confessed to doping as a rider as part of the federal and USADA investigations into Lance Armstrong and the US Postal team. He received a six-month ban after his retirement from racing in 2012 and he was stripped of race results from May 2004 to June 2006.

Julich confessed to using EPO from 1996 to 1998 during an internal inquiry carried out by Team Sky in 2012 as part of its so-called ‘zero tolerance’ policy. His admission cost him his job as a coach with the team.

In a statement on Monday, the MPCC said that it had undertaken “additional due diligence” on Modern Adventure Pro Cycling following their application to join the organisation in October of last year.

MPCC member teams adhere to additional, voluntary rules on anti-doping, including a ban on the use of ketones and on the use of cortisone in competition. Founded in the wake of the scandal-hit 2007 Tour de France, the group currently counts seven men’s WorldTour teams and 13 ProTeams among its members.

“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. Membership is therefore not automatic, and each application is considered on its own merits,” the MPCC said in a statement announcing Modern Adventure’s provisional membership. 

“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. As a result, the MPCC board undertook additional due diligence in which team owner George Hincapie elaborated on his reasoning for their membership request.”

Hincapie said that joining the MPCC was about “rebuilding trust” after repeated doping scandals. 

His team drew controversy before ever racing when the initial design of their kit included the logo of Lace Armstrong’s ‘The Move’ podcast. Hincapie is a regular guest on Armstrong’s podcast, but the logo was removed and he subsequently told Velo that his former US Postal teammate had “never wanted to have anything to do” with his Modern Adventure team.

“Joining the MPCC is important to me because it’s about more than just our team – it’s about the future of cycling,” Hincapie said in the MPCC statement. “The sport has been damaged by doping scandals, and we have an opportunity to be part of rebuilding that trust. 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.”

Modern Adventure made their debut at the AlUla Tour last month, with Stefan de Bod taking second overall in Saudi Arabia. They will line out for their first WorldTour race at the UAE Tour next week. Their 21-man roster features twelve American riders, including emerging talent Cole Kessler.