Anti-doping tests carried out in the middle of the night at the 2026 Tour de France have put cycling's drug-testing regime under scrutiny, after yellow jersey holder Tadej Pogačar and his main rival Jonas Vingegaard were woken for checks in the early hours on Saturday. Vingegaard subsequently crashed out of the race the following stage, prompting speculation that disrupted sleep may have played a part, while others in the sport argue such tests are a necessary and effective tool against doping. The move has divided opinion: some, including former Lance Armstrong team-mate Jonathan Vaughters, back the practice as a strong deterrent against micro-dosing, while riders' union the CPA says waking competitors overnight is unnecessary and potentially dangerous.

Reports indicate riders from five teams were tested between 11pm and 6am, well outside the normal testing window and a rare occurrence requiring special permission from French authorities, in this case the Parisian public prosecutors' office. The International Testing Agency, which conducts around 600 tests per Grand Tour on behalf of the UCI, has not disclosed its specific reasons for the night-time checks, though the UCI has defended the measure as an "exceptional" but justified step given that the fight against doping is an "absolute priority". Experts say testing during the normally untested overnight hours could help catch riders using micro-dosing techniques with substances such as EPO, HGH or testosterone, which can clear the body within hours and otherwise evade detection.