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Steels wins 18th stage
NEUCHATEL, Switzerland (AP) -- The Tour de France, depleted by a rider revolt, limped back into action today with Tom Steels of Belgium winning the 18th stage.Steels beat Erik Zabel of Germany in a sprint finish for his third stage victory of the Tour. Stuart O'Grady of Australia was third.
The competition was overshadowed by the riders' protests about an investigation into alleged drug abuse.
The Spanish teams Kelme and Vitalcio angrily quit the Tour, bringing to five the number of teams that have left since the race began.
The Tour's other three Spanish teams -- Banesto, ONCE and Riso-Scotti -- withdrew Wednesday. Festina was thrown out July 17 for drug abuse.
Of the 21 teams that started this year's Tour, only 15 remain. With today's withdrawals, the riders numbered 102, down from 116 Wednesday and from 189 at the start.
Despite the latest withdrawals, the 18th stage started on schedule in Aix-les-Bains and headed toward Neuchatel, 135 1/2 miles away.
Three days away from the Paris finish line, race organizers were scrambling to calm the revolt over repeated police searches and testing in the drug investigation.
The latest teams to quit blamed the atmosphere around the Tour.
"The riders were insulted in the climb to Revard by the Spanish public," said Alvaro Pino, director of the Spanish team Kelme, referring to one of the Alpine peaks in Wednesday's stage. "We received some threats."
Fernando Escartin of Kelme, who was in fourth place in the overall standings, said he would resign as team chief at the end of the season.
"Everybody needs to make their own decision. Those who decided not to continue today were right, but those who are leaving the race are also right," said former French champion Luc Leblanc, with the Polti team, who withdrew today.
The drug probe pressed on. Shortly before midnight Wednesday, police detained rider Rodolfo Massi of the Casino team, the director of the Francaise des Jeux team, Marc Madiot, and an unidentified doctor, judicial sources said.
The detention of Massi was the first time a rider was blocked from competing.
Police also searched vehicles and hotel rooms Wednesday night belonging to the teams from Francaise des Jeux, ONCE and Casino.
Police said today that no illegal substances were found among medication seized Tuesday by customs officers from the Bigmat team.
Wednesday's 17th stage was one of the most chaotic in the Tour's history.
After starting in Albertville, the pack slowed and stopped after an hour -- ironically just past one of the sprint banners which usually has some of the fastest action of the race. After discussion, the pack restarted, only to stop again.
Jean-Marie Leblanc, the Tour's director, assured the riders that further police action would be carried out "with a maximum of dignity ... at the hotels of the concerned teams and not at police stations."
With that, the riders took off again only to please the public.
However, the public had mixed emotions. Some shouted at the riders and made angry gestures. Others cheered.
The riders ended the day's stage more than 2 1/2 hours behind schedule. Tour judge Joel Menard then announced that the stage was annulled.
The Tour has been plagued with doping allegations since its July 11 start in Dublin, Ireland.
"They're robbing our dreams ..." Thierry Bourguignon said of the TVM team that's been under investigation. "I have the impression the Tour is finished. I'm sick."
Laurent Jalabert, France's top rider and world champion, quit Wednesday.
"I can't race in this climate of permanent suspicion where we are taken for criminals," Jalabert said.
Since 1903, the Tour has been halted only by the two World Wars.