“Every podium contender should receive the same treatment”: Richard Plugge demands answers after Jonas Vingegaard's late-night anti-doping test
CyclingThursday, 23 July 2026 at 06:00
Team Visma | Lease a Bike CEO Richard Plugge has called for greater consistency in anti-doping controls after Jonas Vingegaard underwent a night-time test just hours before his Tour de France ended. While reaffirming his team's commitment to strict anti-doping measures, Plugge argued that all general classification contenders should be subject to the same testing conditions.
Plugge defends anti-doping but questions consistency
Plugge remained silent during Monday's rest day following Vingegaard's overnight anti-doping test and subsequent crash-induced withdrawal from the Tour. Speaking before Tuesday's individual time trial, however, the Visma | Lease a Bike boss addressed the controversy in detail.
The Dutchman began by highlighting his team's long-standing commitment to clean cycling. “In 2012, I named the team Blanco [meaning white in Spanish] because we wanted to start with a clean slate and leave the dark past behind us,” Plugge said in words gathered by L'Équipe.
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He argued that the squad has consistently supported stronger anti-doping measures. “Since then, as a team, we have had a very strict, very rigorous policy against doping, and we were among the first to push the International Testing Agency (ITA) to be at the forefront of testing and prevention. We have worked very hard on that.”
However, Plugge questioned why only certain riders appeared to be targeted with overnight controls. “On the other hand, all the other general classification contenders should be subject to the same strict rules, let's say the top ten, at the same time.”
Jonas Vingegaard and Tadej Pogacar chat before the start of a stage at the 2026 Tour de France
Visma seeks answers from the ITA
According to Plugge, Visma has formally requested an explanation from the ITA regarding the timing and selection of the overnight tests.
“We have asked the ITA these questions: can you explain why there was different treatment? Why was only one rider (Vingegaard) tested at 2 a.m., apparently another rider at 5 a.m. (Tadej Pogacar), and why not the rest of the top ten?”
For Plugge, equal treatment is fundamental to maintaining trust in the anti-doping system. “If you want to safeguard the integrity of the sport, every podium contender should receive the same treatment, in my opinion.”
At the same time, he made clear that he is not opposed to overnight testing itself. “The purpose of anti-doping is that everyone is treated equally. And if the ITA believes that night-time controls are the best way to proceed, then that is probably the best way.”
Plugge said he hopes to receive a response from the ITA before the Tour de France concludes in Paris.
Félix SernaCycling Journalist
Félix Serna is a writer at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2025. He covers professional cycling across both the men’s and women’s calendars, with a focus on UCI rankings, race developments, and rider performance. His work includes interview-based reports, liveblogs, and tournament coverage designed to provide clear, accurate context throughout the season.
In his reporting, Félix regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical reference. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. He holds a bachelor’s degree in International Studies.
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- Due to the high bar of the evidence needed for testing, i expect Jonas and Pogi to text positive otherwise ITA is just bullshittingabstractengineer23-07-2026
- Ahhh poor Pogiboy. Didn’t see you moaning too much when it was western fans doing that against a western rider, which, using your methodology and analysis must be more than enough proof for you that dumb fans are not biased towards any one rider or his nationality but just general dyckheads. If you don’t have the level to separate those from the general population you’re just showing how desperate you must be for things to fit into the narrative you’ve chosen as truth, am sure you can think of which personality that seems to resemble most.Mistermaumau23-07-2026
- Firstly, seems like you are confusing ITA and AFLD where a biais would be more believable, secondly as I already suggested, any French bias would have seen testing of DT and RE instead of JV and TP. Moving on to big brain Plugge, obviously not very versed in the art of secrecy that is a prerequisite for this type of operation. Am already surprised TP was tested a whole 3 hours after JV and pretty sure by then someone at UAE was already aware something was on, you can’t keep such an event (2am ) from not being mentioned by someone to another and then another. Imagine how many tight-lipped competent and available personnel would be required to descend on 10 teams simultaneously? Imagine nobody noticing any preparations (very discreet gathering of known/unknown (if unknown once, certainly not next time) faces in one place. Imagine teams not noticing or sharing almost simultaneous requests for rider locations. Imagine it’s that easy to reach riders’ rooms anywhere in the middle of the night without being noticed. Remember how Lance could still dupe controllers only seconds away from him, read about how they have to test urine in tennis now because players discovered how to make as if they were peeing their current output, watch films in the line of Gattaca, keep informed on medical, mafia and business developments and stop being naive. Why would cycling suddenly be the only clean sport and that just when money is finally becoming interesting, why would « manufacturers » avoid cycling for sales, scruples?Mistermaumau23-07-2026
- Yeah, half an hour of TT is hardly comparable to over a dozen hours of tough long climbing. That’s like tweaking an Ironman down to 10 minutes of swimming. GTs should be including more time when riders have to perform on their own.Mistermaumau23-07-2026
- That’s not a sentenceMistermaumau23-07-2026
- I had another debate elsewhere following on from MM’s complaint which got some interesting comments, unfortunately it got closed just as it started getting interesting. 2 things I’ll carry over that I couldn’t suggest and haven’t been mentioned anywhere I checked: Firstly, the PS biais, sorry but that’s just not credible. If anyone up there had wanted to influence things like Trump tried (and failed) at Fifa (incidentally, did he really stoop so low to try to convince Rodri is his or was that a case of mistaken identity?) they would have tested Remco and Del Toro instead. Somebody’s best shot at proving being woken at night leads to accidents was a statistical argument regarding an increase of traffic incidents the day after clocks go forward. So firstly, assuming nobody adapted by going to bed earlier and secondly denying anyone might be driving differently because at some point they realised they’re later than expected or didn’t stick to their usual routine perfectly. As for today’s title, probably best if DT and PS leave the testing of Remco to the ITA, ride your own races guys, stop focusing on others, and DT, if Carapaz tries anything, remember your Giro.Mistermaumau23-07-2026
- Something not quite right in this story. They knew who you were or you stopped to exchange numbers? Obviously now you have theirs do they are identifiable and the text proves they knew there was an incident so technically they rode away from an accident without due paperwork. Not hard to deal with this correctly before telling the whole world of a tiny incident no worse than any cyclist has experienced. Always a bit weird when people get a voice to recount what would interest nobody should it come from citizen X.Mistermaumau23-07-2026
- The organisers’ optimism suggests that the Vuelta a España 2026 could feature one of the biggest possible attractions for cycling fans because of Tadej Pogačar - THE GOAT !!! The Spanish fans love Pogi, just like the Italians, on contrary, the French are giving him the middle finger (caught on camera)... the French are booing him (caught on camera)... the French media is implying or hinting that Pogi might be doping. What's going to be next... spitting or throwing urine into Pogi's face???mus-musculuspeedypogigonzales23-07-2026
- Love the guy but I hope he doesn't. We need a grand tour that has a genuine competition in it for GC.Cyclingsbestfan23-07-2026
- "(...) and why not the rest of the top ten?" Unfortunately in the rest of TOP 10 is a french rider which is somehow invisible for ITA.averagecyclist23-07-2026
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