The Tour de France, a race with a storied and sometimes controversial past, is implementing rigorous anti-doping protocols to maintain the integrity of the sport. The International Testing Agency (ITA) conducted night-time anti-doping tests during the recent race, an operation described as exceptional due to the urgency required to gather information.
These late-hour tests, which require special permission, have raised questions in a sport still affected by its history of doping. Some have speculated that the disruptive nature of these tests, with riders like Jonas Vingegaard and Tadej Pogacar reportedly tested at 2 a.m. and 5 a.m. respectively, could have contributed to Vingegaard's Tour-ending crash. However, the ITA has not confirmed any link, and there is no suggestion of wrongdoing by Pogacar, Vingegaard, or any of the riders tested.
Experts suggest that the night-time testing may be aimed at gathering data to understand micro-dosing, a method where performance-enhancing drugs like EPO or anabolic steroids are taken in small quantities to evade detection by the Athlete Biological Passport. This passport system, endorsed by the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada), is standard practice in cycling. Past Wada findings indicate that micro-dosing can be difficult to detect with current methods, highlighting the ongoing challenge of preventing cheating in professional sports.
Jonathan Vaughters, a former doping rider now reformed and the boss of EF Education-Easypost, believes these stringent tests are beneficial. He told BBC Sport that such testing "solves my doubts." Vaughters suggested that if similar testing had been in place in the early 2000s, when EPO tests were introduced, it could have prevented years of doping scandals, including the era of Lance Armstrong.
"If you introduce a low enough dose of a peptide hormone, the clearance time can be four hours – if you take it at 11 it'll be out of the system at 3 a.m., so it makes a difference," Vaughters explained, noting the rapid evolution of testing technology. He asserted that while other sports' testing regimes might be less effective, cycling's heightened focus stems from its historical struggles with doping. "This is human F1 car racing; this is edge of human performance; boundaries are always going to be pushed," he added.
Despite these advanced measures, many in the sport prefer to focus on the performances themselves, such as Pogacar's dominant displays. The consensus among some is to "believe what you are seeing" when riders achieve remarkable feats, as the sport continues its efforts to stay ahead of evolving doping techniques. The ITA has not yet confirmed when the results of the Tour de France tests will be released.