posted on Jul, 29 2004 @ 12:41 PM
BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) - When you gotta go, you gotta go. Eight cyclists participating in the Tour de Hongrie each were fined $40 on Thursday for
urinating in public during the race, officials said.
"If this had happened by a farm field, race judges probably would have ignored it," said race spokesman Roland Gombkoto. "But since it happened right
in front of spectators, it could damage the popularity of the race and the sport."
The incident took place Wednesday in the town of Nagykonyi, about 100 miles southwest of the capital, Budapest, during the second stage of the
seven-day race covering 530 miles.
Gombkoto said the three Hungarian and five foreign cyclists stopped but did not get off their bicycles while relieving themselves during the 103-mile
second stage between Balatonfoldvar and Pecs.
Australian Phil Thuaux won the stage in 3 hours, 59 minutes, 9 seconds, and retained the yellow jersey traditionally worn by the race leader.