Former Lance Armstrong teammate Tyler Hamilton tells “60 Minutes” in a show to air Sunday that he saw the 7-time Tour de France winner use performance-enhancing drugs.
Armstrong, who has steadfastly denied ever doping during his career, responded on Twitter:
He then referred to the website, www.facts4lance.com.
The timing of the Hamilton revelations come about a year after another former Armstrong teammate, Floyd Landis, made allegations against Armstrong that launched an ongoing federal probe against him.
Tour of California
Landis made his charges at the opening of the Amgen Tour of California last year. That bike race is currently underway in California.
The Landis accusations launched the federal probe, and Hamilton is among the witnesses who have given Grand Jury testimony in federal court in Los Angeles.
Armstrong has repeatedly denied using performance-enhancing drugs.
Teammates
Both Hamilton and Landis were Armstrong teammates on the U.S. Postal Service team. Hamilton talked to “60 Minutes” reporter Scott Palley as part of the CBS show's investigation into pro cycling.
Hamilton says Armstrong used EPO to win his first Tour de France in 1999 and to prepare for the Tours of 2000 and 2001.
Hamilton left the team and rode for Team CSC in 2002.
“60 Minutes” also interviewed commentator and former US Postal team member Frankie Andreu. He has previously admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs.
Armstrong response
Here is the verbatim response to “60 Minutes” issued by Armstrong's attorney, Mark Fabiani:
has in the past sworn that they never doped. Now, their stories have
suddenly changed out of desire for money and the need for attention.
Just as eager for money and attention, 60 Minutes
has embraced these falsehoods uncritically and enthusiastically. But
greed and a hunger for publicity cannot change the facts: Lance
Armstrong is the most tested athlete in the history of sports: He has
passed nearly 500 tests over twenty years of competition. The time has
long passed for this nonsensical investigation to stop, and for the
enormous wasted resources to be re-directed to investigations that might
actually protect Americans from wrongdoing. For more information,
please go to www.Facts4Lance.com.”
Career-enders
The cycling careers of both Hamilton and Landis have been clouded by the use of performance enhancing substances.
Hamilton was suspended from professional bicycle racing for two years after blood tests during the 2004 Vuelta a Espana indicated blood transfusions. He returned to cycling until 2009, when he failed a test for a banned steroid. Facing an 8-year suspension, he retired from the sport.
Landis fought accusations that he used performance enhancing drugs to win the 2006 Tour de France. He lost the battle and his championship. He served a two-year suspension until 2009 when he returned to cycling, but never at his previous level.
See also: Hincapie told feds about Armstrong doping: '60 Minutes'
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