Tour de France winner Armstrong denies doping allegation

LONDON (Reuters) – Seven-times Tour de France winner Lance
Armstrong has denied ever taking performance-enhancing drugs
following a report in French newspaper L’Equipe that he had
used the blood-boosting drug EPO in 1999.

“I will simply restate what I have said many times: I have
never taken performance-enhancing drugs,” the American said in
a statement on his personal website.

L’Equipe, saying it had access to laboratory documents,
reported on Tuesday that six of Armstrong’s urine samples
collected on the 1999 Tour de France showed “indisputable”
traces of EPO (erythropoietin).

The laboratory and Tour de France officials declined to
comment.

Armstrong retired after winning his record seventh Tour de
France in July. The 1999 Tour win was his first.