20/7/00: The International Cycling Union (UCI) said that 29 riders had given blood tests before the start of the 18th stage of the Tour de France between Lausanne and Freiburg today.

All the riders involved, belonging to the Telekom, Mapei, Vini Caldirola, Festina, Rabobank and Saeco teams, were declared fit to start the stage.

It was the fourth round of random blood tests on the Tour since its start from the Futuroscope theme park on July 1. Three cyclists were sent home after the first test, on all Tour riders, before the first stage. Reuters