Cyclist Valentina Cavallar accuses anti-doping officers of a lack of respect after being subjected to a test “just a few hours after her mother’s death”

Austrian cyclist Valentina Cavallar said she was required to undergo an unannounced doping test at home just hours after her mother's death, while her mother was in a nearby room. The 25-year-old athlete described the experience as extremely painful and disrespectful toward her family.

Cavallar, a member of the SD Worx-Protime team, explained on Instagram that she ended her season early for personal and family reasons. She abandoned the Tour de France on August 9 and has not competed since. She later revealed that losing her mother in September had changed her perspective on life.

The Austrian said she understands the importance of testing for a sport free of doping and that she has always fulfilled her obligations as a professional athlete. However, at that moment, she said, she was “a girl who had just lost her mother,” not an athlete focused on competitions.

The former rower, who competed at the 2021 Tokyo Olympic Games, switched to cycling and became a professional in 2024. This season, she moved to SD Worx-Protime, a team with which she is under contract until 2028. She also represented the team at the Giro d’Italia, finishing ninth at the beginning of June.