UCI refutes claims by Landis

AIGLE, Switzerland (AP): The International Cycling Union (UCI) said yesterday that no riders tested positive for EPO at the 2001 Tour de Suisse, disputing comments made by disgraced cyclist Floyd Landis.

Landis, who was stripped of the 2006 Tour de France title for doping and served a two-year ban, has claimed that seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong tested positive at the Tour de Suisse but officials covered it up.

"Due to the controversy following the statements made by Floyd Landis, the International Cycling Union wishes to stress that none of the tests revealed the presence of EPO in the samples taken from riders at the 2001 Tour of Switzerland," the UCI said in a statement. "The UCI has all the documentation to prove this fact."

positive results

Landis said Armstrong's positive EPO test was in 2002, around the time he won the Tour de Suisse. Armstrong won the Tour de Suisse in 2001 and did not compete in 2002.

"The UCI wishes to reassert the total transparency of its anti-doping testing and categorically rejects any suspicion in relation to the concealment of results from parties involved in this field," the cycling body said.

Last week, Landis admitted for the first time what had long been suspected - that he was guilty of doping for several years before being stripped of his 2006 Tour title.

Landis, who promised to provide more detail, also implicated at least 16 other people in various doping acts, including longtime Armstrong confidant, George Hincapie, Olympic medallist Levi Leipheimer and Canadian cyclist Michael Barry.

The leaders of the International Olympic Committee and World Anti-Doping Agency said last week that Landis should provide evidence to back up his allegations.