THIRD TEAM UNDER SUSPICION AS POLICE SEIZE MEDICATION

A third team was caught up in the drugs scandal dogging the Tour de France
yesterday, after police seized suspect medication in a van driven by
officials of the Bigmat team, writes Frank Ellis.

The discovery came in Chambery, on the Franco-Swiss border near
Albertville, as the cyclists arrived after the 16th stage of the competition.

Around 100 doses of medication were found in briefcases among the team's
bags during a routine inspection by customs officials, police said.

"We're talking about a small quantity of medication, tests have been
undertaken to determine their nature." said Albertville deputy prosecutor
Monique Hugo.

The drugs were sent to a laboratory in Lyon for analysis. France Info
Radio, citing unidentified judicial sources, reported that the medication
was a banned substance.

However, Bigmat director Stephane Javalet last night insisted that
everything was above board. "I'm not worried," he declared: "We had
recuperative products in the van, which is completely normal."

He added that the vehicle in question was a technical van used mainly to
transport cyclists' luggage.

Also yesterday, police raided the hotel of TVM in Albertville, as the Dutch
team continued to be investigated over the use of the banned
performance-enhancing drug EPO.

"We did not find anything. This search was following the one in Pamiers,
during which we were not able to search vehicles," a police officer said.

During last week's raid in Pamiers, banned doping substances were found and
team director Cees Priem and team doctor Alexandrei Mikhailov, were
arrested. Yesterday, both were placed under formal investigation by French
authorities and now are likely to be formally charged.

The Festina team have already been thrown out of the race for the use of
EPO. while two of their former cyclists, Emmanuel Magnien and Gilles
Bouvard, were released yesterday, a day after being held for questioning by
Lille police.

Also released from custody was Bruno Roussel, Festina's sporting director,
who had been held since 17 July. Festina physiotherapist Willy Voet was
released on Friday. but team doctor Eric Ryckaert remains in custody.

Festina's No 1 cyclist, Richard Verenque, yesterday denied ever taking EPO
or other illegal drugs. "Bruno Roussel never asked me if I wanted to take
EPO under medical control, and I maintain that I never took it," Virenque
told investigating judge Patrick Keil, according to a report in 'L'Est
Republicain'.

Meanwhile, Swiss cyclist Mauro Gianetti is to testify before a court in
Lausanne over claims that he was admitted to hospital and his life was in
danger after he took PFC, a haemoglobin which speeds up oxygen intake,
during last May's Tour de Romandie race in Switzerland. Gianetti denies the
allegations.

Checked-by: Mike Gogulski