Armstrong’s former teammates go frank on doping

Providing a rare example of bluntness in a sport that is protected by a powerful code of silence, two of Lance Armstrong's former eight teammates from the 1999 Tour de France have admitted making use of banned endurance-boosting drug EPO. Armstrong's ex-teammates said they had used a performance-enhancing drug when they helped Armstrong capture the first of his record seven titles in cycling's biggest race.

These confessions were made by Frankie Andreu, a 39-year-old former team captain, and another teammate, who requested ambiguity because he still works in cycling.

Both the teammates denied ever noticing Armstrong take any banned substances and neither had any of them ever tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs.

Andreu acknowledged that he took EPO for a few races and said that he is worried about the fact that doping is having a negative effect on the sport and this is the reason why he is admitting the use of drugs now. Continued doping and denial by riders may scare away fans and sponsors for good, he said.

"There are two levels of guys," Andreu said, “You got the guys that cheat and guys that are just trying to survive."

“The environment was certainly one of, to be accepted, you had to use doping products,” said the other rider, speaking only on the condition that he would not be named. “There was very high pressure to be one of the cool kids.”

Overcoming testicular cancer Armstrong made a record of winning the Tour seven consecutive times but was incessantly accused of having doped. Towards the end of his career he faced constant doping allegations. He has repeatedly denied using performance-enhancing drugs and has aggressively defended himself.

Nine riders were banned from this year's Tour de France after they were caught up in the Spanish doping scandal. Floyd Landis, a former Armstrong teammate and winner of this year's Tour, but it was later announced that he tested positive for elevated testosterone and synthetic testosterone after one of the Tour stages.