Tour de France Riders Criticize 2 A.M. Anti-Doping Tests Despite Rule Permissibility The Tour de France riders expressed strong disapproval of the timing of surprise anti-doping controls conducted at 2 a.m., following revelations that top cyclists such as Tadej Pogačar and Jonas Vingegaard were abruptly awakened during the race’s critical Alpine stages. While international anti-doping regulations permit testing at any time, the unannounced early-morning inspections, carried out by the International Testing Agency (ITA), sparked significant backlash from athletes and team officials. The tests occurred between two of the race’s most grueling mountain stages, disrupting recovery and raising concerns about the physical and mental toll on riders. The controversy arose after Pogačar and Vingegaard were woken at 5 a.m. and 2 a.m., respectively, ahead of Sunday’s decisive stage, which concluded atop the HC Plateau de Solaison. Matteo Jorgenson of Visma-Lease a Bike described the timing as a “complete lack of respect for the riders,” emphasizing the importance of rest after consecutive high-intensity mountain stages. Jorgenson, who was instructed to keep his comments private, criticized the disruption to recovery, stating, “We are working hard on recovery. That is hugely important, especially between two of the toughest mountain rides in this Tour. And then you get woken up at 2 a.m. That makes me really angry.” Similar frustrations were voiced by other riders, including Florian Vermeersch of UAE Emirates-XRG, who called the early testing “inhumane and insane.” Vermeersch noted that Pogačar, the race leader, had never been subjected to such an early awakening before, though he acknowledged the leader handled the interruption well. “I think Tadej only slept for five hours.#tadej_pogaar #matteo_jorgenson #jonas_vingegaard #international_testing_agency #visma_lease_a_bike
