On the Bahrain-Victorias team bus in Copenhagen, Jack Haig looked remarkably upbeat for a rider who had just suffered a flat tire in the opening time trial of the Tour de France. More to the point, he looked remarkably upbeat for a rider whose hotel room was searched at 5:30 a.m. Thursday as part of an anti-doping investigation into his team.

"I'm a pretty upbeat guy, and there are worse things going on in the world than someone knocking on your door at 5:30 in the morning," Haig told Cycling News after the first stage ride.

This was the first time that Haig, who leads the Bahrain Victorious GC challenge along with Damiano Caruso, spoke publicly about the police investigation. After Thursday's search, the racers were barred from speaking to the media at their hotel and were not available to answer questions about the matter at the pre-race press conference that day.

The team suggested that the same would be true in the opening stage of the Tour, but Hague tried to discuss what had happened. He confirmed that when the homes of several riders and staff were searched in an international police operation spanning six countries on Monday, Andorra's home was not searched.

"I know quite a few people's homes were searched, but luckily I was home and there was no problem," Hague said.

Hague's hotel room was searched on Thursday, but he seemed perfectly fine.

"To be honest, I want to say thank you to the Danish police, the officers who came. 'They were actually very polite and helpful. It made the experience that much better."

"It didn't really disturb me too much. Of course, it was nice not to wake up early in the morning, but then I did manage to fall asleep. It took me about 45 minutes to an hour from 5:30 in the morning, but everyone was very courteous, helpful, and attentive to what needed to be done. I went back to sleep, woke up again, and went about my day."

Even if they did not lose sleep, this one incident certainly took a psychological toll. When a team becomes a target of anti-doping, the shadow of suspicion falls on every player. But Haig brushed off the idea that his credibility was in doubt.

"There's a little bit of chit-chat, and I have to do interviews like this.

"Now that the race is on, I'm enjoying the pressure and everything about the race.

After struggling through a puncture and a bike change to finish 53rd, 44 seconds behind pre-race favorite Tadei Pogacar, Hague has made a good start to the Tour de France, but the investigation continues. This is the second consecutive year that police have searched for the team.

In a message from the Bahrain Victorious camp, the team said earlier this week that the investigation was "aimed at deliberately damaging the team's reputation" and Dylan Theus referred to "French sensationalism." However, Hague struck a more conciliatory tone.

"Frankly, whatever happens now, I don't think it matters much. If it happens again, and it happens in a respectful way like it did this time, then we have nothing to worry about."

"Let them do what they need to do, let them do their job, and we will continue to do ours. We will just let it pass by. There is nothing else to say."