Blast at cycling event was controlled explosion

Rio de Janiero - A small blast shook the area near the finish line of the men's cycling road race Saturday with about 70 kilometres to go in the race. No one was injured, and the event went on unaffected.

Reporters heard a loud boom on the press tribune and felt the ground shake.

An officer assigned to the event said it was a controlled explosion of an unattended bag. He did not give his name because he was not authorized to speak.

A half dozen military police cordoned off the area. No one was immediately evacuated.

There is a heavy security presence throughout the city amid worries about safety as the Olympics begin.

There have been several bomb scares in the city the last couple weeks. A few blocks of the high end neighbourhood of Leblon were shut down two weeks ago when a doorman reported a suspicious package in front of a building. A bomb squad came out and found that the sports bag only contained clothes.