Paris judge authorised night-time doping tests for Vingegaard and Pogacar

By Charlotte Reid — 20 July 2026 — 3 min read

Night-time Doping Tests Authorised

A judge in Paris granted authorisation for night-time doping tests on Tour de France leader Tadej Pogacar and his closest rival, Jonas Vingegaard, in the early hours of Sunday morning. The International Testing Agency (ITA) had petitioned the judge for permission to conduct these anti-doping tests, which occurred between 18 and 19 July. The Paris prosecutor’s office confirmed on Monday that the judge, who specialises in liberty and detention matters, approved the request.

Both Vingegaard and Pogacar were subjected to unexpected nocturnal doping controls before stage 15 of the race, as the peloton made its way to Plateau de Solaison in the Savoyard Alps. These tests took place outside the standard window for anti-doping controls, which is typically from 6 am to 11 pm. Vingegaard was tested by the ITA at 2 am on Sunday, while Pogacar received his test at 5 am.

The anti-doping regulations of the International Cycling Union (UCI), whose anti-doping programme was delegated to the ITA in 2021, stipulate that tests conducted between 11 pm and 6 am require “serious and specific suspicions that the rider may be involved in doping activities.” The Paris public prosecutor’s office noted that judges responsible for liberty and detention have concurrent jurisdiction to rule on requests for night-time anti-doping tests.

Reactions and Impact on Riders

The timing of these tests drew widespread criticism from prominent riders and team staff. Remco Evenepoel, currently second overall in the Tour, and Vingegaard’s teammate Matteo Jorgenson, both expressed their disapproval. Jorgenson described the tests as showing “a complete lack of respect” towards the riders. Evenepoel echoed this sentiment, calling the night-time tests “inhuman” and stating that riders should not accept such disruptions.

Pogacar commented on Vingegaard’s 2 am test, labelling it “inhuman” and suggesting it “ruined” his rival’s sleep. He also speculated that the disrupted sleep could have contributed to Vingegaard’s crash on Sunday, which resulted in a broken collarbone and forced him to withdraw from the Tour. Before the start of Sunday’s stage, Vingegaard himself acknowledged the importance of testing but questioned its timing, stating, “I was sleeping very well. It’s good that they test, but when it’s affecting performance and your sleep, I don’t think it’s so good.”

The ITA acknowledged that “night-time testing may be disruptive to riders’ rest and recovery.” However, the agency stated that it has a responsibility to ensure the effectiveness of the cycling anti-doping programme and the integrity of cycling races. Therefore, effective testing must, in limited and justified circumstances, be capable of occurring outside standard daytime hours.

Reports indicate 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 also have been subjected to ‘night-time’ or early morning testing,” though specific numbers were not provided.

Rationale for Nocturnal Testing

Night-time testing was primarily introduced as a measure to combat the micro-dosing of performance-enhancing products. This practice involves using substances in small quantities, which allows for only a brief window of detection. By conducting tests during the night, anti-doping authorities aim to increase the chances of detecting such practices.

Jonathan Vaughters, manager of the EF-Education EasyPost team, expressed support for nocturnal tests. Vaughters, a former teammate of Lance Armstrong, who was stripped of seven Tour wins due to doping, posted on X that 2 am testing is an effective method to prevent peptide (EPO, HGH) and testosterone micro-dosing. He suggested that earlier implementation of such tests could have prevented years of controversy in the sport.

The Tour is scheduled to conclude in Paris on Sunday evening. The ITA has not provided a specific timeline for the publication of the results from these tests. The agency stated that the outcome of these controls, like any others conducted by the ITA, would only be publicly disclosed in the event of an apparent anti-doping rule violation, in accordance with their public disclosure policy.

Source: theguardian.com