Paris judge authorises night-time doping tests for Tour de France leaders
Night-time Testing Authorised
A Paris judge granted authorisation for night-time doping tests on Tour de France leader Tadej Pogacar and his closest competitor, Jonas Vingegaard. These tests occurred in the early hours of Sunday morning, between July 18 and 19, before stage 15 of the race. The Paris prosecutor’s office confirmed that the International Testing Agency (ITA) had sought this authorisation from a judge specialising in liberty and detention matters.
The anti-doping controls took place outside the typical testing window of 6 am to 11 pm. Vingegaard was tested at 2 am on Sunday, while Pogacar underwent testing at 5 am. These nocturnal tests were conducted as the peloton made its way to Plateau de Solaison in the Savoyard Alps.
Under the anti-doping regulations of the International Cycling Union (UCI), which has delegated its anti-doping programme to the ITA, tests between 11 pm and 6 am require “serious and specific suspicions that the rider may be involved in doping activities.” Judges responsible for liberty and detention have concurrent jurisdiction to rule on requests for such night-time tests.
Rider and Team Reactions
The timing of these tests drew criticism from several prominent riders and team staff. Remco Evenepoel, currently second overall in the Tour, described the tests as “inhuman.” Matteo Jorgenson, a teammate of Vingegaard, stated that the nocturnal testing showed “a complete lack of respect” towards the athletes.
Pogacar suggested that the 2 am test for Vingegaard was “inhuman” and could have affected his rival’s sleep, potentially contributing to a crash on Sunday. Vingegaard himself commented before the stage that while testing is beneficial, it is not ideal when it impacts performance and sleep. Following the crash, Vingegaard sustained a broken collarbone and was forced to withdraw from the Tour.
The ITA acknowledged that night-time testing can be disruptive to riders’ rest and recovery. However, they emphasised their responsibility to ensure the effectiveness of the cycling anti-doping programme and the integrity of races, stating that effective testing must, in limited and justified circumstances, occur outside standard daytime hours.
Broader Impact and Justification
It is understood that up to five teams, including Pogacar’s UAE Team Emirates XRG and Vingegaard’s Visma Lease-a-bike, have been subjected to nocturnal testing during this year’s Tour. The ITA confirmed that other teams have also undergone “night-time” or early morning testing, though specific numbers were not provided.
Night-time testing was primarily introduced to combat the use of micro-dosing of performance-enhancing products, a practice that offers only a brief window for detection. Jonathan Vaughters, manager of the EF-Education EasyPost team and a former teammate of Lance Armstrong, supported these nocturnal tests. He posted on X that 2 am testing is an effective method to prevent micro-dosing of substances like peptides and testosterone.
The Tour de France is scheduled to conclude in Paris on Sunday evening. The ITA has stated that the outcomes of these controls, like any others conducted by the agency, would be published according to their public disclosure policy only if there is an apparent anti-doping rule violation.
Vingegaard, who had been seen as a significant challenger to Pogacar, was injured during a tight right-hand bend, causing his front wheel to slide out. The incident also involved other riders, including Pogacar’s UAE Team Emirates-XRG teammate Isaac del Toro. Vingegaard will undergo surgery for his injury in the coming days.
The stage 15 was ultimately won by Remco Evenepoel of Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, who managed to stay with Pogacar and then pull ahead. Evenepoel is considered a strong all-around rider, known for his time trial skills, and his performance on the steep climb was notable. Pogacar currently holds the overall leader’s yellow jersey, with Evenepoel five minutes behind.
Other jersey holders after stage 15 include Pogacar with the King of the Mountains jersey and Denmark’s Mads Pedersen retaining the green points jersey.
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Source: theguardian.com
