Armstrong dismisses Landis doping claim

Seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong yesterday dismissed an accusation by disgraced cyclist Floyd Landis that Armstrong had schooled him in doping methods.

"With regards to the specific allegations, the specific claims, they're not even worth getting into it," Armstrong said.

"I'm not going to waste my time or your time."

US media reported yesterday that Landis, who lost his 2006 Tour de France title after a positive drug test, admitted systematic doping and accused former teammate Armstrong of doing the same in emails he sent to cycling officials and sponsors.

Sports news site ESPN.com said Landis confirmed to them that he had sent the emails admitting the use of performance-enhancing drugs, saying he wanted to "clear my conscience".

Landis lost an appeal before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) which threw out his case in June 2008 and ordered him to pay 100,000 dollars in judicial costs to the US Anti-Doping Agency.

Landis' attempts to clear his name are believed to have cost him some two million dollars (1.6 million euros).

Armstrong, speaking to reporters in Visalia, California, before the start of the fifth stage of the Tour of California, indicated he found Landis' about-face suspect.

"I think history speaks for itself here," Armstrong said. "We don't know what he did or didn't do during the Tour. We followed the case, followed all the drama with regards to the (Landis) case. And now we see something different."