Sepulveda out of Tour after hitching a lift

MENDE, France (Reuters) - Argentine Eduardo Sepulveda's decision to hitch a short lift in a rival team's car after a mechanical on the 14th stage proved a costly one when he was thrown out of the race on Saturday.

The Bretagne Seche rider broke a chain 57 kilometres from the finish and hopped into a AG2r-La Mondiale car to take him 100 metres up the road to his awaiting team car.

Tour rules forbid any rider to be driven on the route during a stage.

"I saw Eduardo in the rear mirror and I stopped," said Bretagne Seche manager Emmanuel Hubert.

"Instead of walking towards me he climbed in the AG2r car. They did 100 metres so that's the rules, he's out of the race."

(Reporting by Julien Pretot; Editing by Justin Palmer)