French judges probe claims that top cyclists use tiny hidden motors to cheat

Paris, Dec 20 (IANS) Two French judges have been designated the task of opening a preliminary probe into whether top international cyclists have cheated by using tiny electric motors hidden in their bicycles, as revealed by a satirical weekly newspaper on Wednesday.

Le Canard Enchaine said Claire Thepaut and Serge Tournaire, two financial prosecutors, were tasked with investigating the links between international cycling teams and private companies after the allegations came to light at the start of the year, reports Efe.

"A corrupt deal was signed at the highest level of international cycling that benefited prominent riders," Le Canard Enchaine said, alleging the pact had allowed for the illegal installation of hi-tech electric motors into bicycle frames used by some of the world's top cyclists.

The judges suspected that the small motors were impossible to detect during the standard control tests conducted by the International Cyclist Union (UCI), which has carried out 50,000 such tests so far this year, 4,000 of those during the Tour de France.

Le Canard Enchaine offers satirical coverage of current events but also exposes political scandals.

(This story has not been edited by Social News XYZ staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)