Visma's Plugge says overnight tests 'not a sign of suspicion'
After overnight doping tests roiled the 2026 Tour de France, Visma-Lease a Bike manager Richard Plugge has attempted to clarify things, saying that the International Testing Agency informed him that the tests were not intended to cast doubt on the team.
"We understood that these tests should not be seen as a sign of suspicion towards us, nor interpreted as proof of a rule violation, at least not for our team," Plugge said, according to L’Equipe.
The ITA itself has not commented outside of a statement to The Guardian last week, where the testing authority rejected accusations of favoritism. "Our decisions are based on facts, risk assessments, performances, scientific results and insights, intelligence and investigations, as well as data analysis," the agency said. "This approach enables us to act as precisely and impartially as possible, independently of any external influence, political interest or opinion.”
Plugge added that the clarification he says the team received is welcome, but could have been better handled. "It is good to have so much testing, but the way it was done damaged our team's image and the integrity of our sport, because it brought the 'D-word' back into the conversation," he said.
It's still unknown where knowledge of the testing arose from: a source within anti-doping authorities or within the teams themselves. There is no indication yet that the ITA leaked its own testing, and Plugge did not explain the apparent contradiction between the assurance he says the team received and UCI rules that require a standard of "serious and specific suspicion" to carry out overnight tests.
