Cycle fans get an Eiffel of Tour de France site

Followers of the Tour de France must be used to some strange sites, but visitors to tourdefrance.com will be in for a nasty surprise.

The site (at http://www.tourdefrance.com ) has been squatted by some people who obviously aren't motivated by an undiluted love of cycling's blue riband road race - not that the official race organisers seem too bothered.

The tour the squatters are offering is of the "No credit card peepshow sex" variety.

Nevertheless, a spokesman for the Societe du Tour de France, which organises the race, said that the company has no plans to get the site removed. "Sod it, it's just an internet site and it's nothing to do with us," he said.

Meanwhile, those who wish to follow the cyclists as they jostle for position at the back of the peloton should visit the official site at http://www.letour.fr .