Police arrest husband of French cycling champion Jeannie Longo

The husband of the Olympic cyclist Jeannie Longo has been arrested over the
alleged purchase of the banned performance enhancer erythropoietin, known as
EPO, according to reports in France.

A police official confirmed that Longo's apartment had been raided and
Patrice Ciprelli, her husband and coach, arrested, but the 53-year-old
cyclist herself had not been detained.
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Hmmm................

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012...?newsfeed=true

QUOTE:

A California man whose own bicycle was stolen last month floored a
thief on Tuesday with a tackle that sounds worthy of last weekend’s
Superbowl to help someone else get theirs back.

Perhaps inspired by having watched American Football’s finest go head
to head on Sunday, 54-year-old Carlos Babcock had no hesitation in
grappling with a man heading towards him on a mountain bike and being
chased by police officers in San Jose, reports the Silicon Valley
Mercury News.

Mr Babcock’s own Surly Long Haul Trucker bike had been stolen in
January, the newspaper adding that since he does not have a car, it
was his prime mode of transport.

Talking of the moment he brought the would-be thief of someone else’s
bike to a sudden stop, he said: "He's barreling down this narrow part
of the sidewalk. He's coming at me full speed. He's giving it all he's
got. I wrapped my arms around him. It was a pretty good collision.

The sidewalk in question, reports the newspaper, is a narrow one.
"There's not a lot of room for me and that guy," he added. "And I'm a
fairly big guy. I figured I had the advantage physically." At 6 feet
tall and weighing in at a little over 16 stones, he has a point.

San Jose Police Sergeant Jason Dwyer explained two of his officers had
decided to stop the cyclist after seeing him riding against traffic
and committing a series of traffic violations.

He said that when the suspect looked round and saw the patrol car, he
"had a look of surprise," then stood up on the pedals and took off.
One officer chased him on foot, the other following in the car.

"The distance they chased him was pretty significant," added Sergeant
Dwyer.

Mr Babcock, who the newspaper adds is a member of the city's bike
pedestrian advisory committee, put his arms round the cyclist’s waist
and pulled him to the ground then told him, "Stay put. The cops are
coming." For his efforts, Babcock suffered minor grazes.

Police identified the suspect as 20-year-old Richard Higgerson and in
his rucksack they discovered a Kryptonite bike lock that had been
broken with bolt cutters, plus tools used in burglaries, according to
Sergeant Dwyer.

He was arrested on suspicion of resisting arrest, grand theft,
possession of burglary tools and being under the influence of a
controlled substance.

The bike was reported to have been stolen from outside a branch of
Starbucks and traced the owner, who had the key to the lock found in
Higgerson’s rucksack.

The latter also confessed to stealing another bike, which he had left
at the Starbucks where he had stolen the one he was riding when he was
intercepted.

"Mr. Babcock should be commended for his actions," said Sergeant
Dwyer, who added that there had been a spate of bike thefts in the
area.

He added: "We ask that citizens be a good witness and not try to take
physical action. At the same time, we're grateful he stepped in and
helped us capture this individual."

http://road.cc/content/news/52383-ca...len-bike-owner
--
Simon Mason