During the 15th stage of the Tour de France, Danish cyclist Jonas Vingegaard crashed and was forced to withdraw from the race with a broken collarbone, according to reporting by Swedish media outlet TT. Concurrently, disclosures revealed that both Vingegaard and overall race leader Tadej Pogačar had been subjected to middle-of-the-night anti-doping tests that severely disrupted their sleep prior to the stage.
Anti-Doping Regulations and the Reality of 24-Hour Testing Protocols
Under the Wada code, which governs international anti-doping operations, athletes must make themselves available for testing 24 hours a day. However, standard out-of-competition and flying controls typically occur between 06:00 and 23:00. Vingegaard and Pogačar underwent checks at 02:00 and 05:00 respectively, breaking normal testing rhythms during a Grand Tour.
According to the French sports newspaper L’Equipe, the International Testing Agency (ITA)—the body executing anti-doping controls during the Tour de France—sought and secured authorization from a French judge to conduct these nighttime tests. Such judicial permission is specifically required when there are “serious and consistent suspicions” that a rider has violated anti-doping regulations or is about to do so.
Medical and Pharmacological Perspectives on Nighttime Controls
Åke Andrén-Sandberg, a physician and former chairman of the Swedish Sports Confederation’s anti-doping committee, stated that nighttime testing of top cyclists is a unique occurrence. While he noted it is reasonable to assume the ITA acted upon a tip and followed procedural rules, he questioned why control officers could not wait until 06:00.
“From a pharmacological point of view, there are no drugs that you take late in the evening and that are out of the body by six in the morning,” Andrén-Sandberg told TT. “The only thing you could imagine is that drips are being set or that a blood transfusion is taking place, but now a few days have passed and none of them have been suspended.”
Did you know?
After decades of widespread scandals, cycling has seen relatively few positive anti-doping cases in recent years, a shift experts attribute to rigorous, targeted testing programs deployed during major events like the Tour de France.
Athlete Impact and Performance Consequences
Jonas Vingegaard, a two-time Tour de France champion who was sitting in second place overall when he crashed out, criticized the timing of the test while affirming support for anti-doping oversight. “It’s good that we’re tested, but when it affects performance, it’s not good. Two o’clock in the middle of the night is maybe going a little too far,” the Danish rider stated.
According to Andrén-Sandberg, subjecting athletes to nocturnal disruptions introduces clear physiological risks during grueling multi-week races. “Cycling the Tour de France is not particularly good for your health, and if you also don’t get to sleep at night, it gets even worse,” he said. He added that sleep deprivation would similarly impair the performance of athletes in other disciplines, such as pole vaulter Mondo Duplantis.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are anti-doping tests conducted in the middle of the night?
Nighttime testing is authorized only when authorities obtain specific judicial permission based on serious and consistent suspicions of rule violations.
What governing rules permit 24-hour athlete availability?
The Wada code mandates that registered-testing-pool athletes remain accessible for sample collection 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Did the nighttime testing cause Jonas Vingegaard’s crash?
No sources link the sleep disruption directly to the crash on the 15th stage, which ultimately forced Vingegaard to abandon the race with a broken collarbone.
Who oversees testing during the Tour de France?
The International Testing Agency (ITA) conducts anti-doping controls during the French grand tour.
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