Lance Armstrong said today he was “gratified” the US attorney’s office had decided not to bring charges against him after a nearly two-year investigation into whether the champion cyclist and his teammates ran a doping programme.

A criminal probe of Lance Armstrong and his former US Postal team was closed last night, without the seven-time Tour de France winner being charged over allegations he used performance-enhancing drugs.

Lance Armstrong's former team-mate, Tyler Hamilton, has described an alleged systematic programme of doping in the US Postal team in which the seven-time Tour de France winner played a leading role.

Seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong has made furious attacks on former team-mates, the broadcaster CBS and a federal investigator after the latest drug claims against him.

Seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong has denied claims by former team-mate Tyler Hamilton that they took performance-enhancing drugs together.