Tour de France : Bomb Threat Detours Riders as Norwegian Wins 14th Stage

Following a slight change of course caused by fear of a terrorist attack, Norwegian cyclist Dag-Otto Lauritzen held off Luis Herrera of Colombia on a steep final climb Tuesday to win the 14th stage of the Tour de France cycle race, while Frenchman Charles Mottet retained the overall lead.

The 103-mile course was diverted from one bridge to another after a suspicious vehicle was found parked nearby. Authorities said no explosives were found.

Later, an anonymous caller told a French news agency that the bridge would be blown up, and spectators were evacuated. No bombs were found.

Lauritzen, of the 7-Eleven team, finished the 103-mile stage from Pau to Luz Ardiden in the Pyrenees in 5 hours 14 minutes 28 seconds.

Herrera, the Cafe de Colombia team leader, made a desperate bid to catch Lauritzen but finished seven seconds back. Lauritzen’s teammate, Andy Hampsten of the United States, was 53 seconds behind and Colombia’s Pablo Wilches was fourth at 59 seconds back.

Mottet, who came in 20th at 3:33 back, held his overall lead but many of the favorites closed in on the second and last day of high-mountain riding in the Pyrenees.

Mottet carries the overall leader’s yellow jersey with a lead of 1:13 over compatriot Jean-Francois Bernard of the Toshiba-La Vie Claire team and 1:35 over Ireland’s Stephen Roche of the Carrera team.

The threats and unusual security measures on Bastille Day, followed last weekend’s arrest of two suspected members of the Basque terrorist organization Iparretarrak.

The men were arrested, carrying explosives and weapons, 12.5 miles from the race course, and police suspected they had planned to attack the race.

About 70 policemen patrolled the 103-mile course, and a security force of about 400 checked packages and handbags of spectators and kept watch on buildings.

French cyclist Jeannie Longo won the fifth stage of the women’s Tour.

Longo won the 28-mile mountain stage from Argeles-Gazost to Luz-Ardiden, crossing the line alone. She regained the overall leader’s yellow jersey, which she wore briefly after winning the prologue time trial at Sable-sur-Sarthe.

Maria Canins of Italy placed second, 1 minute 1 second behind Longo, and West German Ute Enzenauer was third, 2:40 off the pace.