ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, July 15, 1996 TAG: 9607150102
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: From Associated Press reports
Djamolidin Abdoujaparov of Uzbekistan won the 14th stage of the Tour de France, and Denmark's Bjarne Riis retained the overall lead Sunday as terrorist threats overshadowed the world's premier cycling race.
Abdoujaparov, a past competitor in the Tour DuPont, broke away early on the Tour de France's hottest day since the 21-stage race started in rain in the Netherlands on June 29. (Results in Scoreboard. B5)
Meanwhile, Basque radicals threatened to put cyclists and fans of the Tour at risk when the race goes through Basque areas of Spain on Wednesday and Thursday.
``We are not willing to allow the race through Basque territory unless there are substantial changes in the stages,'' said an anonymous communique published in Egin, a pro-independence daily in Spain's northern Basque region. The statement did not say what changes were being demanded.
The unnamed authors took responsibility for several small bombs in the region that recently targeted Tour sponsors, and said such actions ``would intensify in their scope and impact'' as the race approaches.
In Sunday's stage, five-time defending champion Miguel Indurain finished with the overall leaders, 4 minutes, 54 seconds behind Abdoujaparov in the 123-mile rolling stage from Besse to Tulle across France's Massif Central and remains in eighth place overall. He trails Riis by 4:38.
The 2,418-mile Tour de France continues today for 109 miles from Brive-la-Gaillarde to Villeneuve-sur-Lot in southwestern France.
ETC. George Mason player faces charges
Jason Williams, a 6-foot-6 forward who set a freshman record last season for 3-pointers at George Mason, faces drug charges, including intent to distribute crack cocaine, in Frederick, Md.
Police charged Williams, 19, on June 11 with possession of marijuana, possession of cocaine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia and resisting arrest. Williams, contacted Sunday, said his preliminary hearing is Wednesday.
George Mason coach Paul Westhead suspended Williams indefinitely for an undisclosed reason this past week, a month after the arrest. Westhead could not be reached for comment.
LENGTH: Medium: 51 linesby CNB