The 2026 Tour de France has taken an unexpected turn with the introduction of nighttime anti-doping tests catching riders off guard and sparking debate. While Tadej Pogačar of UAE Team Emirates-XRG is on track for his fifth
In the early hours of Sunday morning, Pogačar was awakened at 5 am by a doping control officer (DCO), while his rival Jonas Vingegaard of Visma-Lease a Bike provided a sample at 2 am. Later that day, Vingegaard crashed out of the race with a broken collarbone, leading to speculation about the effects of disrupted sleep.
The Rise of Nighttime Anti-Doping Tests
These unannounced nighttime tests are a new strategy in the fight against doping, made possible since 2016. To conduct tests between 11 pm and 6 am, anti-doping agencies like the International Testing Agency (ITA) must obtain authorization from a local judge. The International Cycling Union’s (UCI) rulebook stipulates that such permits are only granted if there is serious and specific suspicion of doping.
The ITA has emphasized the need for flexible testing times to combat the evolving methods of doping. Benjamin Cohen, the ITA’s director general, hinted at this approach in an interview earlier this year, suggesting that nighttime tests could be necessary in certain circumstances.
The Science Behind Nighttime Testing
Professional athletes must provide a preferred one-hour time slot each day for testing. However, DCOs can also test athletes between 6 am and 11 pm. During the Tour de France, an average of eight riders provide samples after each stage, including the race leader and stage winner. The ITA planned to conduct around 600 tests during the race.
Nighttime tests are requested when there is credible suspicion of performance-enhancing drug (PED) use. This suspicion can arise from abnormal changes in blood markers, sudden performance improvements, or intelligence gathered by investigations teams. The ITA requested permission for these tests before the race began, based on well-informed suspicions.
Riders’ Reactions and Concerns
The sudden disruption to sleep has drawn mixed reactions from the cyclists. Pogačar accepted the tests as necessary to prove their cleanliness, while Vingegaard expressed frustration at the impact on his performance. Matej Mohorič of Bahrain-Victorious also underwent a 5 am test and questioned the commercial motivations behind such extensive testing.
There are growing concerns within the anti-doping community about micro-dosing where athletes take small amounts of prohibited substances to avoid detection. Substances like EPO and human growth hormone can clear the body within hours, making nighttime tests a crucial tool in the fight against doping.
The Professional Cyclists’ Association has voiced concerns about the impact of nighttime testing on riders’ recovery and safety, urging anti-doping authorities to invest in better detection technologies.
