KIDWCKED
08-26-2010, 12:19 AM
c/p from The Sportsnetwork by the a/p
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
MADRID, Spain -- The chief doctor of Lance Armstrong's U.S. Postal Service-backed cycling team when the rider won five of his seven Tour de France victories has dismissed Floyd Landis' doping allegations.
Luis Garcia del Moral oversaw the team's medical staff from 1999 to 2003. He said Wednesday he never witnessed any doping programs during his time with the American team. Armstrong also won the Tour in 2004 with U.S. Postal and the 2005 Tour with the Discovery Channel.
"I don't know anything about all of this," Del Moral told The Associated Press by telephone. "I never saw any such things."
Landis has accused Armstrong of doping to get an illegal edge in cycling, which Armstrong vehemently denies. Landis was himself stripped of his 2006 Tour title for doping, and failed to overturn his disqualification in an expensive and lengthy arbitration process.
Del Moral was not named in an email Landis sent to USA Cycling chief Steve Johnson on April 30 detailing blood doping within the team.
"I'm very relaxed in all of this because I have nothing to worry about," said Del Moral, who had two doctors underneath him on the team. "Landis didn't name me, so if I'm not named it means something.
"I have nothing to hide. This is ridiculous."
Del Moral says he would answer questions for U.S. investigators should he be summoned. Authorities in the United States have been examining cheating in professional cycling for months.
Johan Bruyneel was team manager of the U.S. Postal team. He also denies the allegations and says Landis attempted to blackmail him for money or a spot on a team.
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
MADRID, Spain -- The chief doctor of Lance Armstrong's U.S. Postal Service-backed cycling team when the rider won five of his seven Tour de France victories has dismissed Floyd Landis' doping allegations.
Luis Garcia del Moral oversaw the team's medical staff from 1999 to 2003. He said Wednesday he never witnessed any doping programs during his time with the American team. Armstrong also won the Tour in 2004 with U.S. Postal and the 2005 Tour with the Discovery Channel.
"I don't know anything about all of this," Del Moral told The Associated Press by telephone. "I never saw any such things."
Landis has accused Armstrong of doping to get an illegal edge in cycling, which Armstrong vehemently denies. Landis was himself stripped of his 2006 Tour title for doping, and failed to overturn his disqualification in an expensive and lengthy arbitration process.
Del Moral was not named in an email Landis sent to USA Cycling chief Steve Johnson on April 30 detailing blood doping within the team.
"I'm very relaxed in all of this because I have nothing to worry about," said Del Moral, who had two doctors underneath him on the team. "Landis didn't name me, so if I'm not named it means something.
"I have nothing to hide. This is ridiculous."
Del Moral says he would answer questions for U.S. investigators should he be summoned. Authorities in the United States have been examining cheating in professional cycling for months.
Johan Bruyneel was team manager of the U.S. Postal team. He also denies the allegations and says Landis attempted to blackmail him for money or a spot on a team.