SAINT-ETIENNE, France — French customs agents looking for doping products stopped, searched and released a car driven by the father of Tour de France riders Frank and Andy Schleck on Thursday, officials said.
The agents carried out the random search near the city of Grenoble along the route of the 18th stage and didn’t find any doping products or other illegal products, a customs spokesman said.
“Two vehicles were searched: one in which nothing was found; and from the other — the one of Frank Schleck’s father — some products were taken for verification,” said Raphael Grandfils, a state prosecutor in Grenoble. “It turns out that this was not about forbidden products, but medicines that are totally normal to possess.”
Johnny Schleck was allowed to return to the course route, the customs spokesman said, adding that it was a random check — one of many carried out during the three-week event. He said two vehicles were stopped and released.
“I don’t know what is behind this. I think there is something, jealousy or something like that,” Andy Schleck said. “The customs stopped him and a very good family friend who is often with us.”
Frank Schleck of Luxembourg was 1 minute, 24 seconds behind Carlos Sastre in second place overall at the start of Thursday’s 18th stage, a 122.1-mile trek from Bourg-d’Oisans to Saint-Etienne.
Andy said he and his brother had nothing to hide.
“They can take anything, I have no worries about this,” said Andy, adding that the family friend that was also stopped was Luxembourg journalist Rene Thill.
“Police and customs took me out of my car and asked me if I had products to declare,” Thill said. “They said I had to get out of the car, five meters away and put everything out on the street which I had in the back of the car. They looked under the seat, and after that they found nothing of course, and said that I can go on.”
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