Armstrong scoffs at LeMond's claim on doping
Source: Agencies |
July 20, 2010, Tuesday
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LANCE Armstrong is brushing off as "nonsense" a reported claim by three-time Tour de France champion Greg LeMond that Armstrong sought to pay an individual US$300,000 to claim that LeMond used EPO, a banned performance enhancer.
LeMond was quoted as telling the German newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung's weekend issue that seven-time Tour champion Armstrong tried to implicate him "by all means" in an erythropoietin, or EPO, scandal.
LeMond refused to reveal the identity of the person who was allegedly offered money by Armstrong, saying he still works in cycling.
Armstrong dismissed the claim on Sunday.
"That's absolutely nonsense. US$300,000?" Armstrong said, when asked about the allegations. "Come on. I know (about the report). But he says a lot. That's just another thing," he said, alluding to years of antagonism between the two American Tour champions.
According to a report last Friday in the New York Daily News, LeMond has been served with a grand jury subpoena as part of a federal investigation of possible fraud and doping charges against Armstrong and his associates.
"One thing I'll say, is that now that he's been subpoenaed," said Armstrong of LeMond, "in the United States, we say: 'The truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.'"
The federal probe was spurred by allegations made by Floyd Landis, a former teammate of Armstrong on the US Postal team, in a series of e-mails sent to cycling and doping officials this spring.
Landis, who was stripped of his 2006 Tour title for doping, said the use of banned substances was common at the team. Armstrong has denied those allegations and has questioned Landis' credibility.
Meanwhile, Armstrong is not expecting any presents from the peloton as he searches for a stage win in his final Tour.
The 38-year-old American, who wound up third last year on his comeback Tour after retirement, finished the 14th stage in 70th place, 15 minutes 14 seconds behind winner Christophe Riblon of France. He was 38th in the overall standings, 39:44 off the pace, ahead of yesterday's 15th stage.
"I'd still like to get one (a stage win). The race is hard, nobody's gonna give it away," Armstrong told reporters.
"I don't want anybody to say 'hey, let's let the old man have one', that's not what this event is about. It's a hard sport and the best guy is supposed to win on a daily basis and on a three-week basis," he said.
LeMond was quoted as telling the German newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung's weekend issue that seven-time Tour champion Armstrong tried to implicate him "by all means" in an erythropoietin, or EPO, scandal.
LeMond refused to reveal the identity of the person who was allegedly offered money by Armstrong, saying he still works in cycling.
Armstrong dismissed the claim on Sunday.
"That's absolutely nonsense. US$300,000?" Armstrong said, when asked about the allegations. "Come on. I know (about the report). But he says a lot. That's just another thing," he said, alluding to years of antagonism between the two American Tour champions.
According to a report last Friday in the New York Daily News, LeMond has been served with a grand jury subpoena as part of a federal investigation of possible fraud and doping charges against Armstrong and his associates.
"One thing I'll say, is that now that he's been subpoenaed," said Armstrong of LeMond, "in the United States, we say: 'The truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.'"
The federal probe was spurred by allegations made by Floyd Landis, a former teammate of Armstrong on the US Postal team, in a series of e-mails sent to cycling and doping officials this spring.
Landis, who was stripped of his 2006 Tour title for doping, said the use of banned substances was common at the team. Armstrong has denied those allegations and has questioned Landis' credibility.
Meanwhile, Armstrong is not expecting any presents from the peloton as he searches for a stage win in his final Tour.
The 38-year-old American, who wound up third last year on his comeback Tour after retirement, finished the 14th stage in 70th place, 15 minutes 14 seconds behind winner Christophe Riblon of France. He was 38th in the overall standings, 39:44 off the pace, ahead of yesterday's 15th stage.
"I'd still like to get one (a stage win). The race is hard, nobody's gonna give it away," Armstrong told reporters.
"I don't want anybody to say 'hey, let's let the old man have one', that's not what this event is about. It's a hard sport and the best guy is supposed to win on a daily basis and on a three-week basis," he said.
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