Both organisations will work together with the aim of improving the efficiency of the anti-doping system at the second Grand Tour race of the International Cycling Union (UCI) WorldTour season.

A key aspect of their work will centre on targeted checks at the beginning of the race, which will then continue throughout the entirety of the three-week event.

Decisions on which cyclists are tested will be jointly taken by AFLD and the CADF, the independent organisation mandated by the UCI.

The cyclists will be targeted based upon shared information, including from the athlete biological passport, with samples set to be stored to allow for further analysis benefiting from advances in detection techniques in the future.

“Our testing program in 2016 continues to focus on a qualitative approach rather than quantitative,” said Francesca Rossi, director of CADF.

“The anti-doping programme in place for this year’s Tour de France contains all the necessary elements to achieve all our goals in the fight against doping and to conserve a high level of ethics in this wonderful sport.”

A total of 656 doping controls were carried out during last year’s Tour de France, of which 482 were blood tests and 174 urine tests.

Italy’s Luca Paolini, riding for the Katusha team, was the only positive test of the race with cocaine detected in a sample after completing the third stage.

The 39-year-old was handed an 18-month ban by the UCI Anti-Doping Tribunal in April.

“I am delighted with the renewed and reinforced partnership between the AFLD and CADF,” said Brian Cookson, the UCI President.

“The AFLD is a key partner in the protection of clean athletes and the guarantee of credibility in our sport and notably the most iconic races.”