Team Ineos riders Geraint Thomas and Egan Bernal were among a number of riders who were dope tested just before today’s Alpine stage of the Tour de France began.
Julian Alaphilippe (Deceuninck-QuickStep), who is leading
the race, was also selected for testing.
However, while some riders were visited in their team
buses just before the start of the stage, Alaphilippe, Bernal and Thomas had
their tests earlier.
Ahead of the three stages to come – today, tomorrow and
Saturday – where the racing will be at its most challenging and decisive, the
testers moved in today.
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Some of the riders selected for testing had blood taken
about an hour before the start, with some of testers visiting the riders on
their team buses.
Jumbo Visma riders Steven Kruijswijk, George Bennett and Laurens De Plus were visited by the testers on their team bus less than an hour before the start.
Race leader and Ineos duo Thomas and Egan Bernal were visited by testers early this morning.
Today is the first of three back-to-back stages in the Alps, though there is no summit finish today.
Stage 18 takes the riders 208km from Embrun Valloire, over the Col de Vars, Col d’Izoard and the Col du
Galibier; descending into the finish from the top of that last climb.
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