Tour de France - Armstrong expecting Tour ban

Eurosport - Sat, 11 Apr 18:37:00 2009

Seven-times Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong has said that he expects the French Anti-Doping Agency will prevent him from riding in this year's race.

CYCLING Lance Armstrong - 0

"There is a very high likelihood they will prohibit me from riding on the Tour," the 37-year-old American said on his website.

The AFLD had earlier said Armstrong could face disciplinary action because he "did not respect the obligation to stay under (the) direct and permanent observation" of a drugs tester who came to his southern France residence last month.

Armstrong said he went to shower while Astana team manager Johan Bruyneel was checking the tester's credentials with the International Cycling Union.

"He (the tester) was odd, he was alone. He seemed suspicious," said Armstrong.

The Texan, who fought testicular cancer before coming back in 1998, was asked to provide urine, blood and hair samples when returning from a training ride around Beaulieu-sur-Mer last month.

Any sanction imposed on Armstrong would be valid on French territory only.

"It's too bad. The Tour is something I love dearly, something I wanted to ride, to race in, to be competitive in, either go for a victory or help Albert (Contador) or Levi (Leipheimer) get a victory," he said.

"We shall see. The comeback has been important to me for two main reasons.

"Obviously I have a passion for cycling still, but more importantly I have a passion for the global fight against cancer.

"I wanted to tell that story in France but if we can't do that we can't do that it's their call, it's their country, their event, their rules so we have to play by those."

Armstrong has had a difficult relationship with Tour organisers, the Amaury Sport Organisation, who said last year the 37-year-old's return to the race would be "embarrassing".

In 2005, the French sports daily L'Equipe, owned by ASO's parent company Editions Philippe Amaury, claimed samples of Armstrong's urine from the 1999 race showed traces of the banned blood-boosting substance erythropoietin.

However, Armstrong, who has never tested positive, was cleared by a Dutch investigator appointed by UCI.

AFLD president Pierre Bordry last year invited Armstrong to have his 1999 samples re-tested but the Texan declined, arguing they could have been compromised.

Reuters

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  1. Lance Armstrong is a legend and i hope he wins the­ tour. He is the most talented rider ever and yes­ runeii1971 he didnt get caught ! so wake up to yourself­ and see that he is talented, hard working and clean !­ GO LANCE

    From timmyg, on Sun 19 Apr 11:38AM

  2. he wont be banned..hes worth alot of american $$$$$$$$­ to the tournament!

    From Unknown U, on Fri 17 Apr 7:57PM

  3. zon1303 You seem to be missing the fact that Vinokourov­ is a cheat and needs to serve the appropriate ban. If­ there are no repercussions for doping then the sport­ will lose all its credibility. Find a hero who deserves­ your admiration until he has served the suspension he­ has earned.

    From loriblack18, on Fri 17 Apr 10:46AM

  4. First, Lance has not been found guilty of anything. ­ Until that happens, we all need to take a back seat on­ this. Second, he is the best rider the tour has ever­ seen. His record at the tour is enough to show that is­ true. The best rider ever is the Cannibal and we all­ know that.

    Drugs are a big deal in our sport, so all­ professional riders need to follow drug testing­ policies to the letter. Lance must question all testers­ to ensure they are who they say they are when they just­ pop into his home. Forget the tour being a key reason­ for this. That man has his entire reputation riding on­ the line if he is not 100% clean. His sponsors, his­ fans, and his family are all counting on him.

    I­ support Lance and bike racing 100%. Those found guilty­ of any wrong doing need to leave the sport. Forget­ about some small fine. This sport does not need cheats­ in its ranks. We all have riders that we admire and­ want to see at the tour. But - and this goes out to­ all the riders that have even touched illegal drugs and­ have a spot in the tour, regardless of if you have been­ found out or not - stay home. Don't show your face­ at the tour start line. You will embarrass yourself,­ your family, and our sport.

    Best wishes goes out to­ Lance and all the riders who have a spot in the Tour De­ France. You are at the top of your game. Stay there. ­ Don't sink to the false pressure to win by doing­ anything illegal. Ride with honor, courage, and­ commitment. Support your team mates and hammer all that­ take drugs. Don't take drugs. The results­ won't be worth it, and there is more to life than­ 23 days in July.

    From malaywj, on Fri 17 Apr 3:42AM

  5. This is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard. What­ the F****. Excuse my French!!! Let the man ride the­ tour he loves and everyone will enjoy a tour with­ Lance. Too much politics from the St**** French.

    From mounir, on Thu 16 Apr 8:41PM

  6. WE need VINOKOUROV BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    Astana was created­ for Vino and now the leaders are Armstrong and­ Contador.
    It is a KAZAKH team and should be led by a­ KAZAKH rider.

    I personally stopped following cycling­ because he was banned with the whole Astana team in­ tour de france.
    The only reason I was thinking of­ watching this years Tour was because of Contador­ Armstrong rivalary. If they will not let him race I­ would be very angry...
    hope VINO will be BACKK!!! the­ best rider EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    From Olzhas, on Tue 14 Apr 5:43AM

  7. If the French want to have someone besides Armstrong­ win they need to ban him now. You can bet your last­ dollar that if he is allowed to ride this year he will­ win. Before the French idiots tried to p!ss him off,­ he might have been content to just ride for someone­ else... Now that they've stirred the hornets nest­ you can be that if he is allowed to ride he will be­ riding to rub it in the face of the morons in Paris.

    From grampa m, on Mon 13 Apr 5:12PM

  8. He claims to be the most tested rider therefore he­ should know the rules - Going for a shower is allowed­ but he has to be in the presence of the tester until­ the tests are completed. He should've waited till­ the tester was checked out and then done the tests­ before showering and tweeting

    From tattoogimp, on Mon 13 Apr 10:10AM

  9. "He will­ probably just make adjustments to his­ schedule and take­ his message to a country he can­ reach or a country who­ care about the health of their­ people. Besides that­ France obviously does not need­ the Millions of extra­ dollars he will bring to the­ country."

    Obviously just stabbing in the dark­ mate!! You have no idea and you never will either. Now­ run along and get back to your vedroom to play with­ your Lego little boy and let the grown ups talk :)))

    From H C, on Mon 13 Apr 8:26AM

  10. Lance, shut up and race. Too many tweets. Too many­ press releases.

    From neshobeguy, on Mon 13 Apr 5:21AM

  11. AFLD president Pierre Bordry said Armstrong was tested­ to show he will be treated like any other competitor.­ How many others have had spurious results made public­ or been asked to have old samples tested to prove they­ were clean; why is there now the possibility that­ disciplinary action be taken against him when the­ tester signed that nothing untoward had taken place; if­ that is not special treatment what is?

    From jbandbetsymac, on Sun 12 Apr 10:37PM
  12. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Personally i have and will boycott all and anything­ associated with that awful tossa Lance Liestrong,­ please drop the anti-french @#$%, if Lance got caught­ nicking candy off a baby he'd play that card. I­ hope he is banned as it would be nice to watch the TDF­ again. Oh by the way, Basso, Millar, Ulrich, Riis,­ Zabel etc etc etc, never got caught using EPO, but they­ did use it didn't they? So drop that 'most­ tested rider @#$%'

    Lance is a cheat, a­ deception.... and what is to say he did not try to slip­ a tester.

    From runeii1971, on Sun 12 Apr 9:12PM
  13. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    they are all on drugs,and lance is no exception

    From derekM, on Sun 12 Apr 2:18PM

  14. Armstrong may not win this year's Tour but he will­ definitely beat the "best" french cyclists­ even if they have half an hour advantage in the­ beginning of the race

    From Pavel, on Sun 12 Apr 1:41PM

  15. All non-French team should boycott TDF so that a French­ cyclist will take the prize. Sounds unreasonable? Thats­ what they want, a French rider will win the TDR.

    From jovitomanuel, on Sun 12 Apr 11:56AM

  16. All non-French team should boycott TDF so that a French­ cyclist will take the prize. Sounds unreasonable? Thats­ what they want, a French rider will win the TDR.

    From jovitomanuel, on Sun 12 Apr 11:56AM

  17. Can someone, please, tell me why Lance is being­ considered as a possible tour winner, why Astana are­ making him equal leader with Contador, why Contador­ accepts this, and if it is at all realistic Lance could­ match Contador? Please

    From webbski, on Sun 12 Apr 2:27AM

  18. I would love to see all the non French pro tour teams­ boycott the TDF this year, last year it was the banning­ of Astana now this thing with Armstrong. I would like­ to see the Giro and Vuelta (sp) get more coverage.

    From Daniel N, on Sun 12 Apr 1:41AM

  19. I would love to see all the non French pro tour teams­ boycott the TDF this year, last year it was the banning­ of Astana now this thing with Armstrong. I would like­ to see the Giro and Vuelta (sp) get more coverage.

    From Daniel N, on Sun 12 Apr 1:40AM

  20. I would love to see all the non French pro tour teams­ boycott the TDF this year, last year it was the banning­ of Astana now this thing with Armstrong. I would like­ to see the Giro and Vuelta (sp) get more coverage.

    From Daniel N, on Sun 12 Apr 1:40AM
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