Cycling's world governing body UCI yesterday announced a plan to combat drugs problems by cutting down the length of major races and carefully monitoring the riders' health.

The UCI published a written statement introducing measures to stop the doping scandals which meant only 14 of the 21 teams which started the Tour de France finished the race.

The plan, which features two major points, aims at making the season less exhausting by cutting down the length of major races without getting rid of any events. And a new points system for the world cycling rankings will encourage riders to have a less demanding schedule.

The UCI will also advocate health checks for the riders at regular intervals from January 1st 1999 and an anti-EPO programme. EPO is the performance-enhancing hormone Swiss rider Laurent Dufaux of the Festina team has admitted taking for three years.