The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has denied proposing that Tour de France riders be tested in the middle of the night.

A report issued by WADA observers last month said cycling's governing body should be more aggressive when it conducts tests and that riders should be tested at night.

That prompted criticism from Pascal Chanteur, the head of the French professional cyclists union (UNCP).

Chanteur said riders would be treated like "guinea pigs" if doping controls were carried out in early morning hours.

But WADA Director General David Howman told L'Equipe newspaper that WADA observers sent to the Tour this year only recommended "to test the riders more often with controls early in the morning or late at night, at less predictable times, and not in the middle of the night as the UNCP claims."