Hellooooo? Anyone watching the Tour?

[Possegal]

it's the Alps, his bike is probably still falling. i just told a friend - come on, let's go, there is a $10,000 bike waiting for us somewhere at the foot of the Alps.

[Kalidurga]

Well, this is fairly disgusting, but not entirely surprising. The following tidbits have been included in today's live coverage at Yahoo! Sport (not a spoiler):

More breaking news from Reuters: French customs officers stopped and searched a car driven by Johnny Schleck, the father of riders Frank and Andy, during Thursday's 18th stage, witnesses said. Customs officers first stopped a press car with Luxemburg number plates and searched it 35km into the day's 196.5km ride from Bourg d'Oisans to St Etienne. They then stopped a second car, driven by Johnny Schleck, whose sons are riders from Luxembourg representing the CSC team on the Tour de France. We'll keep you updated when we hear more.

Papa Schleck update from Reuters. Looks to our untrained eyes like much ado about nothing: Johnny Schleck, who drives guests around for one of the Tour sponsors, was asked to step out of the car at a roundabout and was searched by a police officer. He was then asked to drive the car towards the other side of the roundabout, where the vehicle was searched by customs officers for 30 minutes. "We will search the car," a customs officer told Reuters without giving any further details. The car later continued on the stage course behind a customs vehicle towards Grenoble.

A quote from the custom officials who searched Johnny Schleck's car: "We were looking for doping substances but the check was negative so we let him (Johnny Schleck) go," a customs spokesman told Reuters.

Oy.

[Zen]

W T H?

[7rider]

Witch hunt.

[Kalidurga]

More from VeloNews (potential spoiler link, don't click on anything else while you're there):

Nothing found in search of Schlecks' father's car

By Agence France Presse
Posted Jul. 24, 2008
A car driven by the father of Tour de France stars Andy and Frank Schleck (CSC-Saxo Bank) was searched by French customs during the 18th stage, which began in Bourg d'Oisans on Thursday.

An official source in Grenoble later said that "no doping products or banned substances" were found during the long search, which took place at Vizille in the Isere region of the Alps.

Johnny Schleck, a former professional cyclist who raced with Belgian legend Eddy Merckx, was stopped along with another vehicle from the advertising procession that precedes the stage.

Several journalists and photographers witnessed the stop, at the 30km mark of the 194.5km stage. Customs chiefs for the region of Isere confirmed two Luxembourg-registered cars were stopped and searched.

"One of the vehicles was taken out of the public's view for a more thorough search," said a customs official. The other, being driven by a journalist, was allowed to carry on.

Johnny Schleck was driving a Luxembourg-registered vehicle for one of the advertisers linked to the race.

It would seem that performing exceptionally automatically makes one an object of suspicion now.

[Triskeliongirl]

Hmmm, is this even legal? Don't they have to have probable cause and permissions to search a vehicle, or can customs do whatever they want to a foreign vehicle???

There are official doping controls that are part of the race guys.

[arielmoon]

FRAK!!

I clicked to read that article and clicked again and saw who won today's stage!

*head desk*

why did I do that???

oh well

[Kalidurga]

I clicked to read that article and clicked again and saw who won today's stage!

Oops! I went back and edited the post to specify that the link could lead to a spoiler. Sorry I forgot to do that originally, I do try to be considerate of folks who watch the coverage later in the day

[tulip]

Hmmm, is this even legal? Don't they have to have probable cause and permissions to search a vehicle, or can customs do whatever they want to a foreign vehicle???

There are official doping controls that are part of the race guys.

The laws are different than they are in the US. I don't know about searching cars, but any police officer can ask anyone for ID for any reason in France. It's never happened to me, but I always carry my national ID card with me, as does practically everyone. Which reminds me, I gotta get that thing renewed before I go back there.

[katluvr]

I agree, CSC is THE TEAM. I have to admit I was a bit disappointed that now Carlos Sastre (sp?) is the leader and will probably win. He has not really done anythign special (until yesterday) and it was just d/t the fact he had THAT team! I would of much perferred either of the Slchleck brothers or how about Fabian! He has looked SOOOOOOOOOOO awesome. Oh well...unless something really drastic happens I think we know how has won the tour.

[7rider]

It would seem that performing exceptionally automatically makes one an object of suspicion now.

Or maybe one is just a spry 23 year old. Geez...did young Andy look impatient at the top yesterday??? Like he was bouncing out of his saddle....looking back at his brother in the yellow..."C'mon, bro'....let's go! C'mon, c'mon. COME...ON!!! Will you hurry up, already!!!!! Geez...waddaya, worn out or sumptin'?"