The International Cycling Union, citing a technical error, ordered organizers to rescind the ban. In addition to Virenque, now with the Italian team Polti, the cycling union ordered Tour officials to drop its ban of Manolo Saiz, sporting director of Spain's ONCE team. Leblanc fears the decisions will make it tougher for the sport to shift the focus to cycling. The Tour begins with nobody happy. Riders are furious about what they say is a witch hunt.
Sponsors are wary of supporting a discredited sport.
Many fans are simply fed up. Making things worse, many stars are not competing, among them defending champion Marco Pantani. The Italian said the course didn't suit him. But his place would have been in jeopardy anyway after he was kicked out of the Tour of Italy last month. A blood test showed he might have used a drug that increases stamina.