Judge signed off on Tadej Pogačar and Jonas Vingegaard’s nighttime doping tests due to “serious suspicions” before Tour de France, according to reports

A legal authorization from a Paris judge has led to intensified anti-doping measures during the 2026 Tour de France. According to reports from The New York Times, Tadej Pogačar and Jonas Vingegaard were woken up in the early hours by drug testers for nighttime samples. The Escape Collective and Road.cc report that the judge signed off on these specific overnight tests due to 'serious and consistent suspicions.' This aggressive testing regime extended to other competitors as well, with Outside Magazine noting that Remco Evenepoel became a subsequent target of these middle-of-the-night tests. Coverage from multiple outlets highlights a growing tension between athletes and officials. The BBC reports that Remco Evenepoel, the winner of Stage 15, criticized the nocturnal testing as being "inhuman." Meanwhile, The Guardian reports that anti-doping chiefs have rejected claims regarding favoritism involving Paul Seixas, as rivals to the top contenders have voiced their objections.

Additional reporting from Reuters and Cyclingnews confirms that all remaining Tour de France riders provided biological passport samples during a rest day to ensure comprehensive monitoring across the peloton. Context for these measures is provided by EF boss Jonathan Vaughters via Road.cc. Vaughters stated that it is unfortunate that Pogačar and Vingegaard must atone for the actions of others, suggesting that such 2am drug tests during the Lance Armstrong era could have saved the sport 25 years of drama. Defector notes that these intensified investigations are threatening the delicate balance of the sport. This historical context frames the current scrutiny as a reaction to past failures in cycling's anti-doping history, as analyzed in broader queries by BikeRadar regarding whether doping remains a systemic problem at the Tour.

Future developments will likely center on the results of the biological passport samples and the potential for further judicial authorizations. As all remaining riders have now undergone the blood tests confirmed by Reuters, the focus shifts to the official findings. The Guardian's coverage suggests that the dispute over the fairness of these tests and the allegations of favoritism involving Paul Seixas will continue to be a point of contention among the riders and team directors as the race progresses toward its conclusion.