The French Anti-Doping Agency and the International Cycling Union (UCI) will work together again at the 2011 Paris-Nice race starting this Sunday, possibly paving the way for a partnership during this year's Tour de France.

The international cycling union said in a statement Wednesday that UCI President Pat McQuaid and AFLD President Bruno Genevois will hold a news conference Saturday to discuss their renewed partnership.

The organizations have been at odds and former anti-doping agency chief Pierre Bordry had criticized the UCI's anti-doping program. That resulted in the AFLD being passed over for testing at last year's Tour de France.

The new cooperation makes it likely the AFLD will collect samples during the 2011 Tour de France in July and its Chatenay-Malabry lab will perform the tests.