No one knows now whether this Tour will reach Paris. The organisers feel the riders "deserve the final apotheosis on the Champs-Elysees", but yesterday ONCE and Banesto, two of the biggest teams in the race, quit as the entire peloton staged its second strike in six days and police raided more team hotels in search of drugs. The chaotic day was rounded off when a third Spanish team, Vitalicio, also withdrew.
The riders' fragile morale cracked after police questioned six members of the Dutch TVM team on Tuesday night as part of the inquiry into a discovery of the banned drug erythropoietin in a team vehicle in early March.
The TVM six were detained from 6.0 p.m. until midnight after one of this year's toughest stages; they were driven to hospital for blood, hair and urine samples to be taken.
"They took one guy out of the shower and went through all our letters," said the team's top sprinter, Jeroen Blijlevens. "We had to sign an agreement to appear before the judge at a later date or we faced prison for 48 hours immediately. We could only eat when we got back at midnight, and we got to bed at 2.30 in the morning."
Another TVM rider, the Russian Sergei Outschakov, said: "I am now a criminal."
Most of the riders who gathered at the start in Albertville yesterday expected there would be a strike, and the first 18 miles were covered at a dawdle. The first stoppage came soon after, and when the race did resume the maillot jaune, Marco Pantani, was the first to take his number off, a gesture signifying "no racing". The stage was neutralised and no results issued.
Not all the peloton wanted a strike: ONCE felt the gesture was futile, and climbed into team cars at the first halt. They were led by the French national champion Laurent Jalabert, who was last night questioned by police.
"I do not want to ride my bike in these circumstances," said the world number one. He and his men were joined by Banesto and the Italian Riso Scotti team.
The peloton staged another stoppage a few miles later but continued to the finish where four TVM riders crossed the line first, their arms aloft. The race was saved after its director general, Jean-Marie Leblanc, asked the police to question riders in a more dignified way. "The riders must finish this race as sportsmen, not criminals," he said.
The riders' spokesman, Bjarne Riis, said: "I went to Leblanc and said `If things continue like this, the Tour is over'. We can accept our hotels being searched, but not what they did last night."
The Australian Patrick Jonker said his Rabobank team-mates were in a state of fear. "We have thrown away everything - glucose, amino acids, vitamins. We are shitting ourselves that the police will come through the door."
While the peloton was completing the stage, police were searching the hotels of ONCE, Casino, who are led by the King of the Mountains leader Rodolfo Massi, Polti, led by Luc Leblanc, and La Francaise des Jeux, the team of Max Sciandri, the only Briton until he abandoned yesterday morning with tendinitis.
There was a small scuffle as police prevented ONCE personnel from retrieving any belongings from their van while the investigators took away casefuls of material to determine if they contained any illegal products.
Riot police were also on hand in the town, which also houses the Polti and Casino teams.
ONCE sporting director Manolo Saiz said the whole situation was shameful.
"All of this business with the Tour de France, with the police and the French government, is just shameful," he said.
Some bystanders voiced disapproval at the way the stage had been neutralised but the vast majority enthusiastically clapped them on their way and cheered their arrival at the finish line to wrap up a tumultuous day.
Pantani, Massi and the points leader, Erik Zabel, took the podium simultaneously in Aix-les-Bains. This is usually done only when the Tour finishes - usually, but perhaps not this year, in Paris.
17th stage
Race judges declared the stage annulled, leaving all positions in all categories unchanged.
Overall: 1 Marco Pantani (Ita/Mer) 77 hrs 38 mins 24 secs, 2 B Julich (USA/Cof) at 5:42, 3 J Ullrich (Ger/Tel) 5:56, 4 F Escartin (Spa/Kel) 6:03, 5 C Rinero (Fra/Cof) 8:01. POINTS: 1 E Zabel (Ger/Tel) 272 pts, 2 T Steels (Bel/Map) 161, 3 S O'Grady (Aus/Gan) 151, 4 R McEwen (Aus/Rab) 144, 5 N Minali (Ita/Ris) 134. Mountains: 1 R Massi (Ita/Cso) 335 pts, 2 C Rinero (Fra/Cof) 197, 3 M Pantani (Ita/Mer) 175, 4 A Elli (Ita/Cso) 165, 5 S Heulot (Fra/Fdj) 147. TEAM: 1 Cofidis 232 hrs 54 mins 17 secs, 2 Telekom at 44:09, 3 Banesto 51:32, 4 Casino 52:04, 5 Lotto 58:30.
DOWN, AND MAYBE OUT: Defending champion Jan Ullrich sits on the ground in front of Bobby Julich (head down), who lies second, and race leader Marco Pantani (right) during yesterday's protest. -
(Photographs: AP)
Sergei Outschakov was one of four TVM riders who led the peloton across the line yesterday.
