The French Sports Secretary, Bernard Laporte, visited Paris-Nice on Thursday to offer up his support of French riders who face possible bans from the Olympic Games or World Championships for participating in the rogue event, which was been sanctioned by the French Cycling Federation (FFC) against the rules of the International Cycling Union (UCI). The UCI announced last week that it would pursue sanctions for any rider who started the event, and began disciplinary action against the FFC and its president Jean Pitallier.
"My concern is to protect the French Cycling Federation, its president Jean Pitallier, which has done and is still doing an excellent job, and the riders," Laporte said at the finish of the fourth stage on the Mont Ventoux, according to AFP.
