COLMAR, France-At least 2 Tour de France riders were hit by pellets from a BB gun or similar weapon as they labored behind the main peloton near the finish of Friday's Stage 13. Neither was seriously hurt, but the incident again illustrated the perils of conducting one of the world's largest sporting events on the open road.
Julian Dean of New Zealand, a sprinter who rides for the Colorado-based Garmin-Slipstream team, and Oscar Freire, a Spanish sprinter for the Dutch Rabobank team, were hit on the descent of a mountain in the Vosges late in the challenging 124.2-mile stage, which unfolded in cold, heavy rain and fog. Rabobank team doctors later removed what they believed to be a lead pellet from Freire's thigh. A pellet glanced off Dean's right index finger, causing some bruising and bleeding.
It's not unusual for spectators to interfere with riders in some way, but there have been remarkably few violent incidents in the Tour's 103-year history. Perhaps the most infamous occurred in 1975 when a fan punched five-time Tour winner Eddy Merckx of Belgium in the stomach.
I'm sorry that's funny, time for the riders to get strapped. 
I recommend a Glock G22 for Lance.
Julian Dean of New Zealand, a sprinter who rides for the Colorado-based Garmin-Slipstream team, and Oscar Freire, a Spanish sprinter for the Dutch Rabobank team, were hit on the descent of a mountain in the Vosges late in the challenging 124.2-mile stage, which unfolded in cold, heavy rain and fog. Rabobank team doctors later removed what they believed to be a lead pellet from Freire's thigh. A pellet glanced off Dean's right index finger, causing some bruising and bleeding.
It's not unusual for spectators to interfere with riders in some way, but there have been remarkably few violent incidents in the Tour's 103-year history. Perhaps the most infamous occurred in 1975 when a fan punched five-time Tour winner Eddy Merckx of Belgium in the stomach.
I'm sorry that's funny, time for the riders to get strapped. I recommend a Glock G22 for Lance.