Cycling boss wary of Armstrong

‘ I don’t really trust this guy.’ DAVID LAPPARTIENT

NEW world cycling boss David Lappartient wants Lance Armstrong to stay away from the sport completely, saying he does not trust him.

The UCI president also said the sport was cleaner and moving on from the Armstrong era, despite the current investigation into four-time Tour de France champion Chris Froome.

Armstrong is serving a life ban and was stripped of his seven Tour de France titles after he admitted to doping.

But he remains a prominent and polarising figure in the sport.

The American has been invited to an event associated with this year’s Tour of Flanders, one of the biggest road races on the calendar.

That prompted Lappartient to write to the event organisers, reminding them that he cannot attend the race itself. ‘‘My point of view ... is I don’t think this is good publicity for cycling, but that’s up to (the race) to decide,’’ he said.

‘‘We want to show a clean sport and Armstrong is not the symbol of the clean sport.

‘‘"I remember the time he was trying to demonstrate that he was a clean athlete, so I don’t really trust this guy.’’

Bjarne Riis, another former Tour de France winner who has confessed to doping, is attending Adelaide’s Tour Down Under.

Lappartient said Riis’ situation was different because he had confessed before 2011, when a rule was introduced setting out the condition where known dopers could be involved in cycling.

Armstrong confessed on live TV in early 2013.

Lappartient, who is also in Adelaide to attend the Tour Down Under, said it would be preferable if Froome did not compete while his investigation continues.

Froome is preparing an explanation for why one of his urine tests at the Tour of Spain last September allegedly showed a high reading for the anti-asthma drug salbutamol.

Lappartient said because Froome’s Team Sky is not a member of the MPCC body, the star cannot be compelled to step down from racing.

‘‘I hope for him, I hope for our sport that he’s not guilty, that it was an accident,’’ he said. ‘‘But I think it’s best not to ride (compete) unitl the end of the process.’’

Lappartient hopes the investigation is resolved soon.

But asked if the situation could be unresolved at the July Tour de France, Lappartient said that was ‘‘not impossible’’.

‘‘Chris Froome has the right to explain his point of view, to defend his position,’’ he said.

‘‘But it’s bad for the image of cycling, because this is the most famous athlete in our sport.’’

Lappartient added that despite the Froome controversy, cycling is now cleaner. ‘‘This (Froome’s investigation) also demonstrates that ... whoever the rider is, we are doing our job to have a clean sport,’’ he said. ‘‘We see new cycling – nothing in comparison with the Armstrong era.’’ - AAP