Lance's teammates admit doping

[Poison Ivy]

From News24.....

 

New York - Two of Lance Armstrong's teammates in the 1999 Tour de France admitted taking the banned performance-enhancing substance EPO in preparing for that race, the New York Times reported on Tuesday.

In a story posted on its website, the newspaper said Frankie Andreu, a retired captain of the US Postal Service team, and another rider who did not want his name disclosed both admitted wrongdoing in interviews with the Times.

The admissions darken Armstrong's first Tour de France triumph and come in the wake of Armstrong fighting off claims that an updated test of a 1999 sample applied by a French laboratory showed the US cycling star was positive.

Armstrong, who turns 35 next week, began a run of seven Tour triumphs in a row in 1999 before retiring last year. American Floyd Landis won last July's Tour but tested positive and is fighting to clear his name.

Armstrong and Landis have denied taking any performance-enhancing substances.

Andreu, 39, said he took EPO for only a few races and said his admission of being a dope cheat is because he thinks doping is hurting cycling, saying that doping and denial by riders could turn off fans and sponsors permanently.

"There are two levels of guys - you got the guys that cheat and guys that are just trying to survive," Andreu told the Times.

Both Andreu and his unidentified teammate told the newspaper they never saw Armstrong take any banned substance.

Neither man ever failed a test for performance-enhancing drugs, they told the Times, casting doubt upon whether any negative test from 1999 could be considered proof that any rider was not a dope cheat.

Both riders who spoke to the Times said they felt they had to take EPO simply to make the team in 1999. Andreu would not say exactly when he took EPO while the other rider said he did not use EPO during the actual Tour de France.

[linnega]

Those damn French...always picking on poor defenseless Americans...

[rock]

what a surprise, man I'm shocked  *yawns*

[linnega]

Interesting to know who the other rider is.  The team was Armstrong, Ekimov, Hincapie, Hamilton, Livingston, Pascal Deram?, Vandevelde, Vaughters, Peter Meinert-Nielsen.  From the list I imagine it was Vaughters.  He has a very strong anti-doping stance.  Can't see Livingston, Hincapie or Eki ratting on their friend.  The Frenchman and the Dane have disappeared into obscurity. Vandevelde is still riding and can't risk anything like this getting out.  Hamilton we know is continuing doping practices so an unlikely candidate.

 

[TitusTi]

Excellent powers of deduction young linnega!

[Guest Big H]

Typical Troll and suurtiet Frankie, did he not make enough money out of cycling and now trying to collect some with his loud mouth, another very biased sensasionalist piece of reporting....... the whole "Auntie Laans" saga rolls on and on and on with all the Trolls making assumptions about the greatest cyclist the world has seen.

[linnega]

I know what you mean!  Jeez, the New York Times is the most sensationalist rag in the business.  The garbage they write...

[Kranswurm]

The greatest cyclist the world has seen??????

I think not

[Cruxpearl]

World must be pretty Blind then!!!!

[Jean-Jay]

I am too cheap to use drugs anyway, but i reckon I would need alot with they way I am riding.   Are there any cattle grid crossings on the tour???

 

Drugs..... yawn! I have given up on this matter. Get used to it, just do ur best and hope that there is a small group around when u get dropped, that way you can still enjoy your ride

[rock]

ja was gonna say it can't be Tyler - that guy can't admit to taking a shower even if he's standing soaking wet in the bathroom....

 

(damn where did hat analogy come from ??)

[DRIVETRAIN]

Nothing surprises me anymore as far as Pro-Cycling goes....anyone who is anyone dopes......some are just spineless ...

 

"DT"

[E1A104]

"Best cyclist the world has ever seen" -   teeheehee - makes me wonder who is actually taking the drugs here

[lotek]

while I suspect it is Vaughters I wouldn't be too

surprized if it is Livingston, he and Lance are not

best mates after all.

If it's vaughters look for him to be fired from whatever

position in Cycling he currently holds

I  think soon the lance mafia is going to take a fall.

 

marty

 

[scotty]

while I suspect it is Vaughters I wouldn't be too
surprized if it is Livingston' date=' he and Lance are not
best mates after all.

[/quote']

 

Both Andreu and his unidentified teammate told the newspaper they never saw Armstrong take any banned substance

 

Reading the above why would Livingston (unidentified team mate) then state he never saw Lance with any banned substances.

[lotek]

Andreu is fighting for his coaching career, USA cycling

(lance mafia) is into him big time after his and his wife's court testimony in the last Lance debacle.

I personally don't think it was livingston just pointing out that

he and lance had a major falling out when livingston

ended up riding for team telekom, he too has pretty much

disappeared into obscurity.

Vaughters on the other hand is as stated very vocal about

doping, and good friends with andreu.

 

marty