| All 189 riders set to compete in this year's Tour de France were cleared to race after undergoing pre-race blood tests Thursday. The 21 teams were tested over a two-hour period Thursday morning and no anomalies were found, race medical inspector Marc Vandevyvere said in a statement. Last year, Gorka Gonzalez of the Euskaltel Euskadi team was the only rider banned from competing after failing the pre-race blood test. The Tour starts Saturday with an 11.8-mile time trial from Fromentine to Noirmoutier-en-l'Ile, and ends July 24. Six-time Tour champion Lance Armstrong will retire from cycling at the end of the Tour. AP NEWS
The Associated Press News Service
Copyright 2004-2005, The Associated Press, All Rights Reserved RSS Feeds XML Related Links
Emotions won't be problem, Armstrong insists Mountains will decide this Tour, Armstrong says Ullrich ready for one last go at old rival Armstrong Only three threaten Armstrong, team director says Stage by stage Course maps and more Past winners Headlines
Venus dispatches Sharapova to return to Wimbledon final A clear choice: Barry should just take a walk Mejia: Winners, losers and the questionables Rangers ace unloads on cameramen Tice fined $100K for scalping tickets At 46, Hearns plans comeback fight Sheffield, Kline hit with suspensions Surprising Swede crashes stars' party Giddens leaves Kansas after bar fight Yanks designate Stanton, Quantrill Blood testing nets none; full field OK A's Notebook: Chavez, with offensive surge, becomes All-Star candidate
San Jose Mercury News More News http://www.sportsline.com/general/story/8609255
|
