Landis rides into row over drugs claims

The International Cycling Union (UCI) have hit out at Floyd Landis for his incendiary comments about the use of performance-enhancing drugs in the sport, which included accusing Lance Armstrong, the seven-time Tour de France winner, of doping. The disgraced American rider, who was stripped of the 2006 Tour de France title after testing positive for synthetic testosterone, admitted to drug offences throughout his career having previously fought a costly and unsuccessful legal battle to clear his name.

Landis sent a series of e-mails to cycling and anti-doping officials detailing his doping history, which he says began in 2002 when he rode for the US Postal Service team led by Armstrong and continued when he moved to Phonak in 2005. But the 34-year-old, who served a two-year ban following his failed test, also implicated a number of high-profile riders, including Armstrong, and officials in his e-mails, and the UCI are disappointed he has made his accusations public.

A statement read: "The International Cycling Union has learned of the declarations made by Mr Floyd Landis and published in the Wall Street Journal. The UCI regrets that Mr Landis has publicly accused individuals without allowing sufficient time for the relevant US authorities to investigate. "An impartial investigation is a fundamental right, as Mr Landis will understand having contested, for two years, the evidence of his breach of the anti-doping rules in 2006.

"The UCI will leave it to the individuals accused by Mr Landis to take the position they see fit with regards to this issue." Landis said of his decision to come clean after previously denying having used drugs: "I want to clear my conscience. I don't want to be part of the problem any more. With the benefit of hindsight, and a somewhat different perspective, I made some misjudgements." * PA