Tour de France Leader Vingegaard Subjected to Four Tests in the Past Two Days

 

Overall Tour de France leader Jonas Vingegaard has undergone four anti-doping tests in the past two days, with one of them conducted just an hour before the start of the 17th stage on Wednesday, according to his Jumbo-Visma team. These tests come amid doubts about the Dane's impressive performances.

Vingegaard further solidified his lead in the overall standings, now ahead of second-placed Tadej Pogacar by one minute and 48 seconds, after a remarkable performance in Tuesday's individual time trial, where he won with a 1:38 advantage. Pogacar finished second in that stage.

A spokesperson from Jumbo-Visma stated that it was already the fourth test in two days for Vingegaard. The team is supportive of these measures and has been advocating for the International Cycling Union (UCI) to enforce such rigorous testing.

Pogacar and his team members also underwent testing on Wednesday morning, an hour before the start of the stage, as reported by a UAE Emirates spokesperson to Reuters.

Since 2021, the International Testing Agency (ITA) has been responsible for handling anti-doping testing in cycling. In the Tour de France, the overall leader is tested daily, and each stage winner is required to undergo an anti-doping test as well.

Both Vingegaard and Pogacar have faced questions about the skepticism surrounding their exceptional performances in the past two days. Vingegaard acknowledged the doubts and expressed his understanding, stating that people need to be cautious given the sport's history of doping scandals.

Cycling has dealt with various doping incidents, including the infamous 1998 Festina affair when the team was expelled from the race due to the discovery of banned substances, including the blood-boosting drug erythropoietin (EPO), before the event began. The sport's most significant doping scandal involved Lance Armstrong, who was stripped of his seven Tour de France titles and banned for life in 2012 for using performance-enhancing drugs.

Vingegaard reiterated his commitment to clean cycling, assuring that he doesn't take anything he wouldn't give to his daughter. Pogacar also acknowledged the doubts and empathized with people who are still affected by the sport's tainted history.

Both riders have been dominant in this year's Tour de France, leading the third-placed rider by over five minutes after two weeks of racing. Vingegaard's exceptional performance in the time trial on Monday created a substantial gap of 8:52 between him and Briton Adam Yates, the third-placed rider overall, the largest difference between the leader and third place after two weeks since 2001 when Armstrong led Joseba Beloki by 9:05.