Tour de France

A threatened mass boycott by cyclists of the twelfth stage - and confessions by three banned Festina riders accused of taking performance-enhancing drugs - dominated proceedings at the Tour de France yesterday.

Angry riders, complaining that the police investigation was wrecking their sport, held a sit-down protest that delayed the start to yesterday's stage. Meanwhile, the nine Festina riders held by police for questioning over the discovery of 400 vials, tablets and capsules of anabolic steroids and other illegal substances in a Festina team car a fortnight ago, have now been released.

Festina rider Armin Meier was one of three who confessed and yesterday he recounted how police strip-searched him in a cell and ''treated me like a criminal'' while looking for evidence. ''I cracked after I was presented with the evidence of the hair samples and also the statements of team director Bruno Roussel, Dr Ryckaert (team doctor) and Willy Voet (physio), but I feel a great sense of relief having confessed to the investigators,'' the 28-year-old said.

Meier, who was riding in his first Tour de France and joined Festina only this season, admitted he had been taking EPO or erythropoietin, which can be used to increase oxygen-carrying red blood cell levels, which enhance endurance, for the past two years but added that he felt Festina were being unfairly treated.

''I feel that we are being victimised. It is like being on a motorway and everyone is doing 100 kilometres an hour when the speed limit is 90 kilometres per hour but only the Festina riders have been punished,'' he added.

In addition to Meier, Frenchmen Laurent Brochard and Christophe Moreau have admitted taking the drugs. All three were released by police yesterday.

Brochard, who also won a stage on the Tour last year, said he had gone through a very difficult experience and was going to go off for a long rest. ''I feel that I have been a victim of the drugs regime imposed on us by others and, as a result, I will be represented at any hearing to do with the Festina affair so I can defend myself against any of their allegations,'' the 30-year-old said.

''I can't believe what's happened, I am just a simple cyclist.''

The remaining six riders, including four-time King of the Mountains winner Richard Virenque, and the two assistant team directors, Miguel Moreno and Michel Gros, were released early this afternoon. Riders with the Dutch TVM team, also under investigation after a separate discovery of drugs, turned up at the starting post, despite their team director and doctor being held by police. Tour director Jean-Marie Leblanc said that, like Festina, TVM could be kicked out of the Tour should they be found guilty of breaking the rules of the race.

Riders decided to protest about the drugs scandal by threatening not to race. The stage finally began two hours late after frantic talks between cyclists and race officials.

Only minutes before the stage was due to start, world No.1 cyclist Laurent Jalabert, of France, addressed race officials on the tour radio station, saying the riders had decided to boycott the stage. ''This is a special day,'' Jalabert had said. ''The riders are disgusted by everything that has gone on. We will not be treated like cattle. Today, we will not take to our bikes. It's finished.''

Leblanc immediately announced the start of the 139-mile stage from Tarascon to Cap D'Agde would be delayed while he held urgent talks with riders and team officials. The 148-member pack finally moved into action 10 miles from the official starting point of the twelfth stage - two hours after the official starting time.

In the race itself, Belgium's Tom Steels won the stage, his second of the Tour, beating Frenchmen Francois Simon and Stephane Barthe at the end of the 222km ride, which led the riders from the Pyrenees to the Mediterranean. The pack caught Jacky Durand of France 300 metres from the finish, with Steels winning the sprint.

German defending champion Jan Ullrich held onto the yellow jersey and has a 71-second lead over American Bobby Julich.

Meanwhile, in Lille, Roussel, Ryckaert, and Voet began a crucial magistrates' hearing aimed at determining their roles in the drugs scandal. Voet, who was later real;eased from custody, told magistrates he was acting on directors' orders, confirming a statement to police, after originally saying the stash was for his own personal use. Results:

1, T Steels (Belgium) Mapei 4hrs 12mins 51secs; 2, F Simon (France) GAN; 3, S Barthe (France) Casino; 4, N Minali (Italy) Riso Scotti; 5, E Zabel (Germany) Telekom; 6, S O'Grady (Australia) GAN; 7, A Ferrigato (Italy) Vitalicio; 8, A Vierhouten (Netherlands) Rabobank; 9, L Guidi (Italy) Polti; 10, G Hincapie (USA) US Postal all same time.

British placing: 17, M Sciandri, La Francaise des Jeux same time.

Overall standings - 1, J Ullrich (Germany) 56 hours 55 minutes 16 seconds; 2, Bobby Julich (US) Cofidisone one minute 11 seconds behind; 3, Laurent Jalabert (France) ONCE, 3-01; 4, Marco Pantani (Italy) Mercatone Uno, same time; 5, Michael Boogerd (Netherlands) Rabobank, 3-29.