Tour de France leaders Pogacar and Vingegaard subjected to night anti‑doping tests

On the night of 18‑19 July, the two riders atop the Tour de France general classification – Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard – were woken for anti‑doping controls at 5 a.m. and 2 a.m. respectively. The International Testing Agency, acting under UCI rules that permit sampling between 23:00 and 06:00, carried out the checks. Both cyclists said the surprise tests disrupted their sleep ahead of a decisive mountain stage to the Plateau de Solaison. Their teams expressed frustration, calling the timing a lack of respect for athletes’ recovery. The incident highlights the tension between strict anti‑doping enforcement and rider welfare during Grand Tours.