Anti-doping measures at the Tour Down Under in South Australia will be the toughest ever, the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA) said.

Working with the Union Cycliste International (UCI), ASADA said the series of anti-doping measures had never before been implemented at a cycling event in Australia.

The initiatives include the launch of the UCI's biological passport program which involved mandatory blood profiling of every cyclist before the event.

ASADA will also conduct comprehensive and targeted urine testing both before and during the race and will freeze selected samples to allow them to be tested in the future using new technology that might become available.

ASADA will further share intelligence with the Australian Customs Service to enhance the interception of any prohibited substances that might be destined for the Tour Down Under.

ASADA chairman Richard Ings said the organisation was implementing every measure at its disposal to deter doping at the Tour Down Under which gets underway in Adelaide next week.

"Clean cyclists coming to the Tour Down Under can rest assured this will be an event where those contemplating doping will face greater scrutiny than ever before," Ings said.

"Through a combination of blood and urine testing, long-term storage of selected samples and existing partnerships with border control and law enforcement agencies, any professional cyclist attempting to dope at this event will face severe consequences."

UCI President Pat McQuaid said he was pleased to see the UCI, ASADA and the event organisers working so closely and indicated that this was a model for future cooperation between international sport and government.

"These initiatives to protect the Tour Down Under from doping are a demonstration of what can be achieved when international sport and governments work cooperatively together," McQuaid said.

This year's Tour Down Under is the first race outside Europe to be included in cycling's ProTour calendar, the series of elite events that attract the best professional cycling teams in the world.

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