Cycling: Lance Armstrong's former team manager has described claims by a one-time team mate of the seven-times Tour de France winner, that he took a banned blood booster while preparing for the 1999 race as "unfounded."
Frankie Andreu, who as part of the US Postal Service team helped American compatriot Armstrong win the Tour in 1999 and 2000, said in an interview yesterday that he had used erythropoietin (EPO) before the first of those races.
Speaking to Spanish sports daily Marca on Wednesday, Johan Bruyneel said "I do not understand why he [Andreu] goes on making these unfounded statements."
Belgian Bruyneel, who directed Armstrong from 1999 until the American's retirement in 2005, said Andreu was a "pitiful man."
"An American judge has already shown that Andreu has no credibility," said Bruyneel. "In any case, neither me nor Lance are losing any sleep over this, because his attacks are no longer a surprise."
Bruyneel is currently directing the Discovery Channel team at the Tour of Spain.
Landreau was interviewed with another former Postal team member who requested that he remain anonymous because he is still heavily involved in the sport.
Both said they never witnessed Armstrong taking drugs, but Landreau has claimed in the past that Armstrong once told a doctor treating him for cancer that he had taken EPO.