FOLLOWING threats in an anonymous letter published in the newspaper Egin, seen as the mouthpiece of the Basque nationalist organisation ETA, the Tour de France organisers have requested that police guard the Tour's car-parks during its visit to the Basque country today, in order to prevent a repetition of the events of 1992, when, during the Tour start at San Sebastian, a number of press vehicles were blown up.

The Tour also hit by the Basque terrorists in the early 1970s. The letter threatened a vague "intensification of actions" towards the race, stating: "Once you are on Basque soil, your safety is not guaranteed" due to the Tour's "indifference towards Basque national identity."

A demonstration has been called for the start of tomorrow's stage in Pamplona. The Tour organisation have denied that any money has been paid to buy off the terrorists, or that the route will be changed, and have made concessions to nationalist feelings by arranging for all race notices to be printed in French and Basque.

Tour de France organiser Jean-Marie Leblanc told I'Equipe: "What I hope is that no one will touch the riders or the race. They do not deserve it. These two days on the other side of the Pyrenees are an homage to Indurain, to the Navarrans and the Basques."

Miguel Indurain has also made his feelings clear. In a recent interview, Indurain - who hedges carefully around any comment on the Basque cause, and is careful to point out that he is Navarran, not a Basque - said: "It is the same as bandits attacking an old lady. ETA are as representative of moral decay in society as any other delinquent."