Armstrong hits back at Landis doping claims
Landis implicated the seven-time Tour de France winner in a series of emails to cycling and anti-doping officials detailing his own doping history.
Landis said that his own use of performance-improving substances dates back to 2002 when he rode for the US Postal Service team and continued when he moved to Phonak in 2005.
The 34-year-old Landis, who served a two-year ban following his failed test, mentioned Armstrong in his emails – among several high-profile riders and officials.
Landis’s claims will now be investigated by both the US and world anti-doping agencies, but Armstrong is not waiting for the results before casting his own verdict.
“I have nothing to hide,” Armstrong said ahead of the fifth stage of the Tour of California. “I think history speaks for itself here.”
Landis was stripped of the 2006 Tour de France title after testing positive for synthetic testosterone, and has admitted to drug offences during his road-racing career having previously fought a costly and unsuccessful legal battle to clear his name.
Having previously put up a staunch defence of the case against him in 2006, Landis has reversed his position and is threatening to take others down with him. Armstrong said he had been expecting as much.
“I’d say I am a little surprised but I am not,” he said.
He sounded unconcerned, adding: “It’s our word against his word. I like our word. We like our credibility. Floyd lost his credibility a long time ago.”
Landis said of his decision to come clean after previously denying having used drugs: “I want to clear my conscience. I don’t want to be part of the problem any more. With the benefit of hindsight, and a somewhat different perspective, I made some misjudgements. And, of course, I can sit here and say all day long, ‘If I could do it again I’d do something different’, but I just don’t have that choice.
“I don’t feel guilty at all about having doped. I did what I did because that’s what we did and it was a choice I had to make after 10 years or 12 years of hard work to get there, and that was a decision I had to make, to make the next step.
“My choices were, do it and see if I can win, or don’t do it and I tell people, ‘I just don’t want to do that’, and I decided to do it.”
He has claimed his decision to speak out now was partly because WADA’s statute of limitations for doping offences of eight years meant his evidence would shortly become unusable.
Landis, though, still denies taking testosterone during the 2006 Tour de France. “There must be some other explanation, whether it was done wrong or I don’t know what,” he said.
Landis’ accusations will now be tested by both the USADA and WADA.
World Anti-Doping Agency president John Fahey vowed to work with the USADA on the matter.
“WADA is aware of the serious allegations made by Mr Landis,” read a statement. “We are very interested in learning more about this matter and we will liaise with the US Anti-Doping Agency and any other authorities with appropriate jurisdiction to get to the heart of the issues raised. WADA looks forward to these investigations and enquiries by those responsible.”
The International Cycling Union, though, hit out at Landis for making his allegations public. And the ICU revealed that one of his accusations against Armstrong related to an event Armstrong did not even take part in.
Landis had claimed seven-times Tour de France winner Armstrong struck a deal to conceal a positive test during the 2002 Tour of Switzerland. But Armstrong did not race in the event.
“The UCI would like to point out that Lance Armstrong did not participate in the 2002 Tour of Switzerland.
“The UCI will undertake all necessary measures to defend its honour as well as the honour of all its executives who have been unfairly accused by Floyd Landis.”
Former Phonak boss Andy Rihs insisted Landis had acted alone and that the team had no knowledge of his doping activities.
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