Security blanket for riders including Froome at Tour de France

Longo’s husband loses appeal against doping sentence

LA ROCHE-SUR-YON, France, July 4, (AFP): Over 30,000 security agents will be deployed to protect riders during the Tour de France, organisers said Wednesday after the head of world cycling called for a safe environment for British rider Chris Froome.

The world’s biggest cycling race starts on Saturday, just days after fourtime champion Froome was cleared of doping suspicions by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), headed and to respect the judicial decision so that Chris Froome can compete in a safe and serene environment like all other athletes.”

Tour de France security chief Pierre-Yves Thouault told AFP by

Great Britain’s Christopher Froome (center), trains with his Great Britain’s Team Sky cycling teammates on July 4, in Saint-Mars-la-Reorthe, western

France. (AFP)

telephone that he shared Lappartient’s concerns but was ready to unleash a huge security operation to police the 10 to 12 million fans expected to turn up to watch the race this year.

“There will be 23,000 police and 6,000 firemen,” Thouault told AFP, adding several thousand private security agents would also be deployed.

Also: GRENOBLE, France:

The husband of French cycling great Jeannie Longo lost his appeal against a one-year suspended jail term for importing banned blood booster EPO, in Grenoble on Wednesday.

Patrice Ciprelli, who also coached the 58-year-old Longo, was found guilty in March last year of smuggling prohibited goods.

Ciprelli, 64, was found guilty of ordering 33 boxes or flasks of erythropoietin (EPO) over the internet for 2,920 euros ($3,110) between 2008 and 2011.