Cervelo rider Thor Hushovd (L) of Norway, wearing the best sprinter green jersey, cycles with BMC rider George Hincapie of the U.S. during the sixth stage of the Tour de France cycling race betweenERIC GAILLARD/Reuters
RadioShack team boss Johan Bruyneel has formally denied doping allegations made by disgraced cyclist Floyd Landis against Lance Armstrong.
Belgian media say Bruyneel was interviewed by Belgian federal prosecutors on Thursday. De Morgen newspaper quoted a statement from the Belgian cycling association KBWB that said Bruyneel was questioned after a request from the KBWB and the International Cycling Union.
Landis, stripped of the 2006 Tour de France title for doping, has accused Armstrong and his teammates of taking banned doping drugs and receiving blood transfusions during the 2004 Tour.
Armstrong, who rides for RadioShack, has denied the accusations and called Landis "a person with zero credibility."
In other developments, American cyclist George Hincapie has been contacted by the lead investigator of a federal probe into doping in professional cycling, according to a Wall Street Journal report.
In a story published Saturday, the Journal reported a person familiar with the matter said Hincapie is "likely" to agree to talk to lead investigator Jeff Novitzky, a special agent with the Food and Drug Administration, when he returns to the United States after the Tour de France.
Zia F. Modabber, Hincapie's attorney, confirmed to the newspaper that he had spoken with Novitzky but shared no details.
"My desire is to let George do his job with as few distractions as possible," he told the Journal.
The federal doping investigation was spurred by allegations made by Landis in a series of e-mails sent to cycling and doping officials. Citing people familiar with the investigation, the Journal reported that the probe is aimed at possibly charging any team leaders who may have facilitated or encouraged doping by cyclists.
Landis said the use of banned substances was common on the US Postal team when he rode with seven-time Tour winner Lance Armstrong and Hincapie in the squad.
Hincapie told The Associated Press on Tuesday that he was bothered by Landis's allegations.
"It bothers me, because I've been doing this for 17 years and never heard anything bad about me," Hincapie said.
"You can go ask any of the cleanest teams in the peloton - Jonathan Vaughters, Slipstream, Columbia. How many times they've offered me contracts and wanted me to ride for them because of my reputation, and because they have done the due diligence on me, and then you have someone attacking me."
American cyclist Tyler Hamilton, who rode with US Postal team from 1995 to 2001, said in an e-mail to the Journal that he is aware of the investigation and would co-operate if subpoenaed.
Armstrong has repeatedly denied using performance-enhancing drugs, and his lawyer reacted angrily to the latest developments.
"Garbage in - Garbage out," Armstrong attorney Tim Herman said in an e-mailed statement. "The more appropriate investigation and use of taxpayer money would focus on the confessed fraud committed by Landis, an admitted perjurer with an agenda."