PORTUGAL v SPAIN Tour de France fight?

The Tour de France just became a contact sport. Spain's cyclist Carlos Barredo and Portuguese competitor Rui Alberto Costa got into a bit of a slap down -- with a bike wheel as a weapon -- at the end of Friday's (July 9) sixth stage.

Barredo and Costa got into it after the finish line, apparently over an incident earlier in the race.

Barredo ran toward Costa wielding his front wheel(!) and attacked Barredo with it. After a few punches were exchanged, the scuffle was stopped and the guys were separated by officials.

They were both fined "insults, threats and incorrect behavior."

Caisse d'Epargne team director Yvon Ledanois -- Costa's boss -- tells Reuters, "I suppose they were involved in a race incident and that with the sun, spirits heated up."

Later reports revealed that Barredo was furious about his allegation that Costa elbowed him in the stomach and ribs with about 12 miles to go in the stage.

Frankly, we're surprised this doesn't happen more often -- like every day -- in the Tour de France. What would Lance Armstrong say about this behavior?


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