Virenque admits doping offence

Top French cyclist Richard Virenque has admitted being supplied with performance-enhancing drugs, police said in Paris last night. His confession came only hours after police revealed they had heard him asking for drugs - after tapping the phone of lawyer Bertrand Lavelot, suspected of supplying the riders with banned substances.

Lavelot and former amateur cyclist and thoroughbred horse breeder Bernard Sainz were remanded in custody on Sunday.

Virenque, runner-up in the 1997 Tour de France, had resolutely denied ever taking drugs following the Tour de France scandal last year. However the four-times Tour King of the Mountains, refused to undergo police medical tests yesterday. Police had wanted the 29-yearold to undergo blood, urine and hair tests to ascertain whether he had taken performance-enhancing drugs.

Virenque was held for questioning but is yet to be formally indicted over the affair.

On Monday he continued to deny any wrongdoing in the separate investigation into the Tour de France scandal - he has been formally charged in that case.

Meanwhile, back in Ireland, Dermot Dignam, organiser of next week's FBD Milk Ras, said yesterday there was considerable doubt about the participation of the German team.

However, international selections will represent Ireland, Estonia, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Egypt and Wales as well as seven English regional teams and 18 County sides.

The director of Team Henninger Sossenheim informed Dignam that the German Federation claimed Uwe Hardter for the Peace Race while other original Ras selections Bernhard Wachter and Jonas Hudalla were chosen for the German team in the Fleche du Sud in Luxembourg, a race where they will meet Ireland's world junior champion Mark Scanlon riding for the Dutch Rabobank squad.

Dignam advised the Germans that he did not want an under-strength team and unless the matter was resolved the invitation would be withdrawn. Dignam added that he was in touch with the manager of the German Telekom squad, who are keen to fill the vacancy but no decision will be reached until tomorrow.