Cycling: US doping inquiry focuses on France

American investigators have interviewed French anti-doping officials at Interpol headquarters in Lyons as part of an investigation into allegations of drug use by cyclists, including the multiple Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong.

The inquiry shifted its focus to France, with a US delegation seeking information from police officials and the national anti-doping agency that has stored some of Armstrong's urine samples from the Tour de France.

A French official told the Associated Press agency that Françoise Lasne, the director of the AFLD agency's laboratory, and testing director Jean-Pierre Verdy were heard as witnesses yesterday at Interpol.

The official with knowledge of the meeting spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorised to speak publicly on the case.