French law enforcement officials have been involved in an investigation concerning the metal tacks discovered on a leg of the 2012 Tour de France over the weekend. As many as 30 riders suffered punctured tires along Sunday’s 14th leg of the race.
Riders along the Mur de Peguere leg rode over metal tacks that were scattered on the roadway. The tacks were spread over an area almost a kilometer in length. Cadel Evans, the defending champion, was just one of riders with punctures.
Bradley Wiggins, a 32-year-old Sky leader, who was wearing the yellow jersey, stopped to warn riders behind him.
“I thought it was the honorable thing to do, nobody should ever profit by somebody’s misfortune like that,” Wiggins told the Telegraph of his decision not to attack. “It became quite apparent very quickly when all of the guys started puncturing at once. It wasn’t just one or two, it all started happening and was becoming dangerous.”
At least 30 riders were disrupted by tire punctures, race officials said.
Tour officials sweep and clear each race segment, but the 3500 kilometer race remains difficult to patrol.
