"Moto drivers have biases" - EF boss calls drafting a bigger issue than doping at 2025 Tour de France
Cycling
With the likes of Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard setting climbing records on almost every climb during the 2025 Tour de France, scrutiny has been raised by some, over how the modern stars can blow the times of proven dopers away, whilst being clean themselves. It now seems, EF Education-EasyPost boss Jonathan Vaughters has a theory.
According to the experienced American, more than doping, the biggest issue plaguing modern cycling is drafting from the TV motorbikes. The topic has already sparked drama during this Tour de France, when Quinn Simmons hit out at Tim Wellens after the Belgian won stage 15.
"The strongest guy and the best moment with the moto. Did you not watch the coverage?" Simmons said of Wellens' win in conversation with ITV Sport at the time. "We've seen this a few times at the Tour, you know how that's going to be. Some days you take advantage, others someone else does".
But now, it seems Simmons can count on his compatriot Vaughters as an ally in this debate. "Been reading all the hate re Quinn Simmons. While I didn’t see what went on with Wellens and he’s a beast, I will say this: The number one unaddressed race manipulation problem is the motorcycles," Vaughters writes in a post on his official X account. "Drafting, hanging on, etc. Moto drivers have biases and likes, like everyone."
And as mentioned, whilst some are quick to point the doping allegation any time a rider does something special, Vaughters says motorbike drafting is actually the bigger problem in the modern day peloton.
"While all the media and governing bodies focus on motors, magnets, and doping…. For those actually in the sport and working on the ground? The motorcycles are the number one issue," he concludes. "The one that actually does change the race result quite regularly."
Could this go some way to explaining the record breakingly fast Tour de France we have had in 2025? Let us know your thoughts!
2. While all the media and governing bodies focus on motors, magnets, and doping…. For those actually in the sport and working on the ground? The motorcycles are the number one issue. The one that actually does change the race result quite regularly.
— Jonathan Vaughters (@Vaughters) July 25, 2025
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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