French prosecutors have launched a preliminary investigation into several teams involved in this year's Tour de France cycle race after suspicious medical material was seized during the event.
24 hours after the race director Christian Prudhomme reflected on a scandal free tour this year, it's been revealed syringes and transfusion equipment believed to belong to teams were found in containers provided to dump medical waste and are currently being analysed.
L'Equipe newspaper is saying the inquiry is focussing on the Astana team of the tour winner Alberto Contador and third-placegetter Lance Armstrong.
News of the investigation comes a day before the presentation of the route for next year's Tour.
