Bjarne Riis says doping inspectors don't have a leg to stand on: 'Doesn't take much for a bomb to go off'

Tom Dumoulin, Lance Armstrong, Oliver Naesen, Jonathan Vaughters... The nighttime doping tests at the Tour de France have got everyone talking. Opinions are somewhat divided, but many agree that a line has been crossed. Bjarne Riis joins that group. The former Tour de France winner is harshly critical of the anti-doping authorities.

Jonas Vingegaard and Tadej Pogacar were woken up in the middle of the night for a doping test. It later turned out that several teams and riders were subjected to the same treatment. The French court was even involved in the proceedings. The situation is taking on serious proportions, but Bjarne Riis believes it hasn’t been handled properly. “I think they’re playing with fire.”

"This issue is so sensitive that it doesn't take much for a bomb to go off, because it's either communicated incorrectly or not at all," he explains to BT. "It’s such a serious problem that it should have been taken more seriously and handled better than it was here. Especially given the history, and I really think it’s a shame."

The Dane, who retained his victory in the 1996 Tour because he admitted to doping, believes that cycling’s troubled past is a major factor in the current situation. The authorities are seeking credibility. “It’s in no one’s interest, not even in the interest of those who are affected by it. And I think that’s what the authorities are doing now. They, too, must remain credible.”

There is a great deal of uncertainty about exactly why nighttime testing is conducted. It is only permitted under special circumstances and in cases of serious suspicion. “In fact, there’s a lack of communication from the UCI and the anti-doping authorities to explain everything, including what is and isn’t allowed. Everything. Regarding the rules, laws in France, and so on.”

Riis is hitting a nerve there. The involvement of the French courts, which granted special authorization for the inspections, is bad news, in his view. “I think it’s grotesque that there’s a judge in Paris doing this. It’s a disgrace to the sport of cycling. I don’t know exactly what the judges suspect. But other than that, no one has anything to base their suspicions on, except that they ride damn fast.”