EPO on Tour de France menu

Evans' legs, and heart, in demand

Australian cycling fans at the Tour de France have gone to extremes in a bid to get close to their heroes. One female admirer of former race champion Cadel Evans turned up with a message on a placard saying 'Cadel, can we kiss your leg for five dollars?. Told of the offer, Evans emerged from his BMC team bus to speak to the fan - without, however, offering up his leg. Another was spotted with a banner asking, 'Cadel, marry me.'

Champions fined... for not showing champion status

Cycling champions Tony Martin of Germany and Frenchman Jean-Christophe Peraud fell foul of Tour de France officials after the stage four team time trial when they were fined.... for not displaying the colours of their respective titles on their bikes. Martin, the world time trial champion, was fined 1 600 euros while national champion Peraud got off lightly with a 160 euro fine.

Froome sets journalist right

Tour de France favourite Chris Froome set an over-enthusiastic member of the media right after being asked whether he felt the famous 'Promenade des Anglais' in Nice belonged to Froome's Sky team after their performance in the stage four team time trial. "Not really, because the Australians won," said Froome, who was born and brought up in Africa before switching nationalities two years ago. The stage was won by Australian team Orica-GreenEdge. Sky finished fourth.

EPO on the Tour de France menu

Restaurant owners in the French Riviera town of Cagnes-sur-Mer turned to humour in a bid to entice some of the thousands of the Tour de France fans in for lunch following the start of the fifth stage to Marseille. Wednesday's menu in one restaurant was offering EPO - Escalope, Parmesan and Olive. EPO, or erythropoietin, is a banned blood-booster which has ravaged the peloton for years but which is now easily detectable.