Julian Dean And Oscar Freire, Tour De France Cyclists, Hurt In Suspected Air-Rifle Shooting

COLMAR, France — Two Tour de France cyclists were slightly injured Friday in what their teams suspect was an air-rifle shooting.

New Zealand's Julian Dean and Spain's Oscar Freire, a three-time former world champion, were struck while riding in northeast France during the 13th stage.

Dean's right index finger was injured. Freire's team said he was hit in the thigh with a projectile that was removed. Both were expected to ride Saturday.

It was not immediately certain what weapon was used. But both teams – Dean's Garmin Slipstream and Freire's Rabobank – believe it was an air rifle.

"He (Dean) was very lucky," Garmin spokeswoman Marya Pongrace said by telephone. "He is a little shaken up."

Rabobank said in a statement the doctor told the team the injury to Freire "will not bother him too much."

Police were investigating, and Dean was to be interviewed at his hotel in Colmar later Friday. Rabobank said it intended to file a complaint.

The riders were hit during the descent of the demanding Col du Platzerwasel, about 22 miles from the finish of the stage between Vittel and Colmar, Rabobank said.

___

Associated Press Writer Greg Keller contributed to this report.

Comments

[marignymitch]

Apparently there was an American in the audience.

[sense oar sheep]

poor

[MajorKong]

"It's all good fun until somebody loses an eye." - My Parents

[DrJohnnySkeptic]

I heard about this! It's just awful that someone would do something like that. What kind of deranged person would do something like this?

A friend told me today that a woman spectator was killed by a motorcycle cop when she stepped into the street without looking. The cop and two other people were injured. That's just so sad, I can't believe it.

[dansama]

Is nothing sacred? Shooting cyclist, as if it isnt hard enough to avoid the F*** cars, how many top cyclist have been killed or maimed by training crashes with cars.

BTW the image used for the Tour De France showed Greg Lemond, and while I am a huge fan of his this is 20 years old and Lance Armstrong is much more of a current icon.

[johnnygoodwud]

with the economy is the toilet, i'm thinking of inventing a new yellow stage win shirt made out of kevlar.

[GhiaccioPronto]

OT

HIncape was pretty bitter after the race towards Lance &Astana driving the peloton so close, and keeping him out of yellow.

[GoDogGo]

The kids who did this are going to be seriously busted. The TdF is a national treasure and even an air rifle can get you jail time there. To keep the riders safe, they're going make an example and throw the book at them.

[BillyMae]

Hope so.

[GhiaccioPronto]

the police have picked up some kids according to versus.

[OdysseusNemesis]

Good. Now they should be summarily flogged on their bare buttocks, and told never to do it again.

BTW, Isn't Tour de France 2009 dull?l -- few breakaways or attacks or both; the peloton seems come in the same number as they left minus a few. Only the Columbia team is worth watching.

Cavendish (tut tut), but serve him right for his relegation: In the final sprint, he looked right, saw Hushovd and pretended to look to his left as he narrowed the path for Hushovd to go past him.

[Ex-Tex]

The world has gone mad. But why is the picture accompanying the story almost 20 years old? Greg LeMond & Laurent Fignon -- remember that race! 51 seconds. . .

[wm1066]

The only thing I can think of is Greg Lemond was shot by a relative in a hunting mishap along time ago, he then went on to win the tour over and over again. but still why not show photo's of the guys that got shot?

[pressseon]

Maybe because that was one of the greatest Tour de Frances ever. It went right down to the final SECONDS. Could have gone the other way if Fignon hadn't been so vain about his beautiful flowing un-aerodynamic tresses. It's nice to see that picture and remember the '89 Tour.

[mamadeus]

Greg was a magnificent rider and champion. That Tour was great!

[Tom Joad]

sick.

[naturallight]

i think this is hilarious. And they are lucky. Lucky it wasn't a real gun.

[Ex-Tex]

What is so funny about someone getting shot? Are you as sick as the shooter?

[HelloooCanada]

whatever, if you'd have been hit, you'd probably have been rolling around the ground crying.

freire finished the whole stage before they took the metal out of his leg.

[DrJohnnySkeptic]

How can you be so heartless? These people got hurt and you find it funny?

Go talk with your psychiatrist.

[Wisdo]

air rifles arn't your mothers air rifles these days.

Ive seen people fire Mp5 replicas at close to 100 fps (with green gas, modified coils etc) and a much higher rof than the real thing. Those things can kill, seriously.

[frmme2u]

What have we become?

[UnknownSoldier]

are you French?

[Wisdo]

sacre BLUE!

[HairFarmer]

what diff does it make Jac K A ss

[averygard]

Holy crap! I was watching yesterday and didn't see that. Must've been the brief period of time I wasn't watching...?! You'd think the announcers would've mentioned it more than once, though. I wonder who did it. I have seen some odd people harrassing­/otherwise obstructing the riders and used to date a triathlete who had had all sorts of things thrown at him and other cyclists (think dirty diapers, etc.) but have never heard of this before.

[Breakwind]

Who really cares? Does anyone even follow bicycle races?

[Paradym]

Um, yeah. There are lots of us who are loyal followers of cycling, especially the grand tours, as they're the hardest athletic events in the world.

[UnknownSoldier]

LMAO, if that was true Armstrong would have won the marathon he ran. Much respect to the pro cyclist, but lets not get crazy

[CigarGod]

A sniper out there and you don't care.

No, no one wathes or follows.
That is why they pay them millions of dollars...for their complete anonymity.

[jymfrancais]

its not because you don't that others are not interested
why did you come on this page then????/
makes no sens whatsoever.

[wrenchdevil]

actually, the tour de france is the single most difficult sporting event out there. just because you live under a rock, does not mean everyone else does.
you 'fail'.

[Wisdo]

who cares about the "world series" with its single contestant?

who cares about "football" that doesnt even use feet?

who cares about sport in fact? in the words of those who regularly complain about NASA spending - that money could be used to cure cancer or some such thing. We have enough problems on earth without spending billions on sports.

Cycling is most demanding sport there is BTW.

[Wisdo]

oops my sarcasm lock has been on for a while.