Crazy World: Sweeper destroys the finish line...

Cycling: Road sweeper destroys finish line at worlds

COPENHAGEN: Organisers of the cycling road world championships were given a nightmare start to the competition Monday when they woke to discover a road sweeper had obliterated the finish line.

Many parts of central Copenhagen have been closed off to traffic for the first three days as teams finalise preparations for the week-long event.

But after going to bed believing they were ready to host the competition-opening time trials on Monday, organisers were faced with late and unwelcome challenges.

"We went to sleep yesterday with a good feeling of being all and well prepared, but woke up facing the challenge of a road sweeper by accident having destroyed the finish line and spilt oil over large parts of the course," organiser Jesper Worre said.

Organisers had to spend the next two hours cleaning up the course and re-establishing the finish line in front of Copenhagen's scenic city hall.

Australia's Jessica Allen claimed the first gold of the championships when she won the junior women's time trial.

Rudd quizzed by US security on Vegemite

SYDNEY: Australian Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd has said US airport authorities tried to confiscate a suspicious jar from his baggage -- the Vegemite he was carrying for his breakfast.

Rudd joked he needed to use "Ministerial intervention" to get his supply into the US after airport security quizzed him on the mysterious and potent dark brown paste.

"Only problem travelling to NY is that they tried to confiscate our Vegemite at the airport. Needed Foreign Ministerial intervention," he tweeted.

"Airport staff were surprised when I said it is good for you and I ate it for breakfast. They then waved me through."

The spread, made from yeast extract, is popular in Australia, and like Marmite in Britain is taken with toast, bread or crackers.

This was the second time Vegemite has threatened to cause a diplomatic incident with the US.

In March, Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard was forced to come to the defence of the foodstuff after US President Barack Obama branded it "horrible".

"It's like a quasi-vegetable-byproduct paste -- that you smear on your toast for breakfast. Sounds good, doesn't it?" Obama told schoolchildren in Virginia.

Rudd was on a flight to New York from Mexico when he was stopped.
 

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