Evenepoel secures back-to-back Tour de France stage wins as doping test controversy continues

By Liam Tremblay — 21 July 2026 — 3 min read

Remco Evenepoel has achieved consecutive stage victories in the Tour de France, narrowing the overall lead held by Tadej Pogacar. Evenepoel, an Olympic champion in road and time trial cycling, secured his win in the stage 16 time trial, which stretched from Evian to Thonon-les-Bains. This marks his third career time trial win in the Tour.

Evenepoel completed the 26.1km course along Lake Geneva in 32 minutes and 19 seconds. He finished 28 seconds ahead of Pogacar, reducing the Slovenian’s overall advantage to 4 minutes and 32 seconds. Evenepoel expressed his satisfaction with his current form, noting it has been some time since he performed at this level. He described Pogacar as a “superstar” and acknowledged that challenging for the overall victory remains difficult.

The Belgian rider’s success occurred on his national day, making the victory particularly meaningful. His family was present to witness the achievement. Despite his strong performance, Evenepoel stated his focus remains on his own position rather than directly challenging Pogacar for the general classification.

Injury and General Classification Updates

Evenepoel’s team, Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, experienced a setback with the loss of teammate Florian Lipowitz. Lipowitz, who finished third in the Tour last year, crashed during the stage and was forced to withdraw from the race. He sustained a broken collarbone after falling on a tight right-hand bend while exiting a downhill section. Lipowitz was escorted from the scene on a stretcher.

His departure marks the second time a 2025 podium finisher has left the race within 72 hours, following Jonas Vingegaard’s earlier exit. Lipowitz had been in a strong position, sitting fifth in the standings before his crash. Evenepoel conveyed his sadness over losing Lipowitz, highlighting his teammate’s strong performance in the Tour.

In the overall standings, Pogacar’s teammate, Isaac del Toro, maintains third place. However, Paul Seixas is now only 20 seconds behind del Toro after gaining time on the Mexican rider during the time trial.

Doping Test Controversy Continues

Amidst the ongoing race, a debate surrounding the nocturnal doping tests conducted by the ITA (International Testing Agency) has intensified. Both Vingegaard and Pogacar were subjected to tests outside the typical 6 am to 11 pm window last Sunday, with visits occurring at 2 am and 5 am respectively. These tests, though authorized by the Paris prosecutor’s office, have drawn criticism from some quarters.

Jonathan Vaughters, manager of the EF Education EasyPost team, commented on the authorization process, suggesting that obtaining a warrant from a French judge might not be overly difficult given the sport’s history. He emphasized his support for the ITA, viewing their actions as an example of effective work, but questioned the ease of securing such warrants.

Pascal Chanteur, vice-president of the CPA (professional riders association), also raised concerns about the Paris prosecutor’s decision, stating that the judge lacked specific knowledge of cycling. While the CPA supports night-time testing when sufficient evidence exists, Chanteur suggested that the differing test times for Vingegaard and Pogacar were likely due to the ITA’s limited resources rather than any specific targeting.

The French sports code mandates that testing procedures must be proportionate to the infringement of an athlete’s rights and the objectives of anti-doping efforts. Olivier Banuls, the ITA’s director of testing, previously noted that the agency focuses on targeted testing rather than mass testing to ensure efficient use of resources. The results of the tests on both riders have not yet been disclosed, leaving a degree of uncertainty surrounding the competition as Pogacar aims for a record-equalling fifth Tour victory.

Source: theguardian.com