SerpApi.Org
While a wave of anti-doping tests affected the entire Tour de France peloton on Monday, Slovenian rider Matej Mohoric (Bahrain-Victorious) lamented what he believes to be preferential treatment toward Paul Seixas (Decathlon-CMA CGM), regarding the timing of the tests in question.
Anti-doping has been a recurring topic of conversation among Tour de France stakeholders in recent days, fueled by the wave of anti-doping tests that on Monday involved all riders still in the race, initiated by the International Testing Agency (ITA), following on from the highly publicized tests undergone during the night from Saturday to Sunday by Jonas Vingegaard and Tadej Pogacar.
The ITA confirmed on Tuesday in a statement that a “large-scale blood testing mission as part of the Athlete Biological Passport was conducted on the Tour de France rest day, July 20, 2026. All riders in the peloton were included in this testing mission, which forms part of the ITA’s intelligence- and risk assessment-based anti-doping program for the race.”
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Pogacar and Vingegaard’s nighttime anti-doping tests spark controversy
In an interview with Sportal, Matej Mohoric (Bahrain-Victorious, 88th overall) said he did not appreciate how certain teams were treated by the authorities, being tested in the middle of the night: “ For us, it’s quite unpleasant,” the Slovenian explained. It reduces our rest time and drains a lot of our energy. I personally had a test at 5 a.m., which is practically the middle of the night, since we go to bed around midnight due to the late finishes, and we have breakfast around 10 a.m.They have to show they’re working and that they’re testing in order to ensure a clean and fair sport. I also think there’s a business aspect. ”
Matej Mohoric
“It would be good (...) to ensure equal treatment for everyone”
Mohoric believes not all teams were treated the same. He also points to Paul Seixas’ Decathlon-CMA CGM squad, which he says benefited from preferential treatment thanks to a test carried out around 8 p.m. on Monday—when riders are still awake. “We are paying for cycling’s past but, even so, it would be good to set certain human limits or, at the very least, to ensure equal treatment for everyone. We know, in fact, that this French rider, well placed in the general classification (referring to Paul Seixas, 4th, Ed.), did not undergo this test (in the middle of the night).”
On Monday evening, the CPA (the professional riders’ union) had denounced the nighttime anti-doping tests, seeing them as “an obstacle to athletes’ recovery during the most important and most difficult race on the world calendar and contrary to the objectives being pursued”.
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