"The Frenchman who occupies the top positions in the general classification has not been subjected to any checks” - Matej Mohoric has 5am doping test at Tour de France
CyclingWednesday, 22 July 2026 at 09:36
Matej Mohoric has confirmed that he was also the subject of a late-night doping test at the Tour de France. Following tests of Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard on Saturday night, Mohoric also faced a 5am wake up call during the race.
The Bahrain Victorious rider is the only other rider outside of Pogacar and Vingegaard currently reported to have faced the late-night check. It comes also as news emerged on Tuesday that several teams were visited for testing between 8pm and 10pm on Monday's rest day, including Red Bull, Decathlon, Groupama FDJ and Picnic PostNL.
Pogacar and Vingegaard's tests have been the subject of debate due to their unusual timing and judge approval, with the teams involved and commentators noting the impact of the wake up call on riders' recovery in the heat of a grand tour.
Mohoric echoed that reaction as he noted that the test cut his night's sleep down the middle, with his team usually having breakfast at 10am during La Grand Boucle.
"I also had to undergo a test at 5am, a time that is practically halfway through our night's sleep because we go to sleep at midnight, given that the stages finish late, and we have breakfast at 10am," Mohoric told Slovenian publication Siol.
Mohoric highlights importance of testing
However, Mohoric highlighted that the International Testing Agency testing helps to ensure that the sport is clean and fair.
He said: "The fact is that the agency that carries out the checks has a rather substantial budget and somehow has to justify it, so I think all this serves to demonstrate that the checks are carried out and that they work and that the sport is clean and fair."
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Mohoric, however, did offer his opinion in that he believes all riders should be subject to the testing rather than just a few select riders. Implying that French rider Paul Seixas hadn't been subject to the checks, the former Milano Sanremo winner further fuelled debate.
"We are paying for cycling’s past, but it would still be good to have limits, or at least ensure that the rules are the same for everyone.
He added: "Because we know that the Frenchman who occupies the top positions in the general classification has not been subjected to any checks of this kind.”
Gavin QuinnCycling Journalist
Gavin Quinn is a cycling journalist and ultra-distance cyclist with a BA in Journalism from Dublin City University. Formerly the Press & Communications Officer for Cycling Ireland, Gavin has worked inside the national team at the World Championships and has reported for the Irish Mirror, Mirror UK, and The42.
His expertise is backed by elite-level access, having interviewed stars like Sam Bennett and Ben Healy, as well as immense personal endurance. In 2025, he completed a 12,000km solo cycle from Ireland to Vietnam, following a 4,600km tour across Europe. From the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix to the gradients of the Tourmalet, Gavin’s writing focuses on the "romance and brutality" of the sport. Having visited 50+ countries, he brings a global, cultural perspective to his coverage of the pro peloton for CyclingUpToDate.
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- Usual suspectsMistermaumau22-07-2026
- So what happens to your mini Pog DT then?Mistermaumau22-07-2026
- Too many problems to solve over at MandisU to focus on cycling.Mistermaumau22-07-2026
- That’s kind of BS MM! You should inform yourself before spewing crap out. Maybe it wasn’t at the time yours was but they can’t do everyone simultaneously. The fact you got chosen is kind of proof the criteria aren’t as suspicious as some make out since neither you nor your team are particularly dangerous in any racing aspect. 150+ other riders also haven’t had 5am sessions, why pick out a single rider?Mistermaumau22-07-2026
- E20,900 so far...... some teams haven't earned that in prize money yet, maybe need to list the UCI Fines in the total prize fundsslappers6622-07-2026
- Cool story bro, love your work. 😘
Andrew22-07-2026 - I’ll take my tongue out my cheek for the next few comments.Andrew22-07-2026
- Evanapoel is certainly on a high. Stage 18 is going to be interesting.Cyclingsbestfan22-07-2026
- Or he could go to UAE and develop there, but I am a fan of UAE and Pogi so my view is biased. Pogi would be his good mentor, and Seixas could take over in 2030, when Pogi retires, after winning TdF 9X. :))mus-musculuspeedypogigonzales22-07-2026
- I always know what you're thinkng. I also know what your twin brother, frieder3, is thinking. Oh you poor souls, I pity both of you. You should both eat fatty fish salmon, for omega-3s, and blueberries for antioxidants. They do wonders :))mus-musculuspeedypogigonzales22-07-2026
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