'These are the rules' - Visma accept Vingegaard's 'unpleasant' 2am doping control

Jonas Vingegaard underwent a surprise anti-doping control at 2am ahead of stage 15 of the Tour de France, with the Danish rider expressing frustration at the disruption to his sleep while acknowledging the importance of such testing.

His thoughts were echoed by Visma | Lease a Bike manager Richard Plugge, who acknowledged that nighttime controls were within the remit of the International Testing Agency (ITA).  

“We know this is possible, these are the rules,” Plugge told Wielerflits. “From one minute before the start of the Tour until the finish in Paris, checks can take place 24 hours a day. That is stated in the rules, so you know this can happen. The fact that it is happening is also a good sign. I keep saying it: because in this sport we do everything we can – much more than in many other sports – to ensure that cycling remains fair.”

Plugge expressed concern at the potential impact on rider performance, though he noted that rival teams, including UAE Team Emirates-XRG, had been subjected to overnight testing ahead of stage 15.

“Performance-wise, it is, to put it mildly, unpleasant,” Plugge said. “They wake you up, and you are easily out for half an hour to forty minutes afterwards. You don’t want that during your night’s rest, that is never nice. On the other hand, 2am might actually be good, because you still have a long stretch of the night to sleep afterwards.”

Vingegaard’s rival Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) revealed that he had been woken for an anti-doping control at 5am on Sunday morning. The yellow jersey appeared to take the test in stride.

“I also feel sorry for the guys who are coming to do the controls because I can imagine some riders get upset and angry with them, but they’re just doing their jobs,” Pogacar told Eurosport. “The people who send them, their bosses, are the ones making the decisions.”

While Pogacar, Plugge and Vingegaard were equable in their response to the nighttime anti-doping controls, Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) was a touch more indignant about the concept when he was informed of the tests.

“At two o’clock? That's impossible. No, that's not allowed? That's not right,” Evenepoel told Sporza. “What would I say if they were standing by my bed at that time? Nothing, because I’d just carry on sleeping.”