Former French Anti-Doping boss accuses Lance Armstrong of motor doping

Verdy says he doesn't think Armstrong's performances were possible on just EPO alone

Lance Armstrong at the 2002 Tour de France (Photo by Tim De Waele/Getty Images)

(Image credit: Getty Images)

The former boss of French Anti-Doping has accused Lance Armstrong of motor-doping during his career, saying that the Texan's admittance of using EPO can't solely explain his performances.

"Lance Armstrong, this is the best scam. With complicity at all levels. He got special treatment. Many told me that I should not tackle legends, that I was going to find myself alone. But if the legends are mounted on anything...I also believe that he had a motor in the bike," Jean-Pierre Verdy told French television programme Stade 2 during an interview.

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Hi. I'm Cycling Weekly's Weekend Editor. I like writing offbeat features and eating too much bread when working out on the road at bike races.


Before joining Cycling Weekly I worked at The Tab and I've also written for Vice, Time Out, and worked freelance for The Telegraph (I know, but I needed the money at the time so let me live).


I also worked for ITV Cycling between 2011-2018 on their Tour de France and Vuelta a España coverage. Sometimes I'd be helping the producers make the programme and other times I'd be getting the lunches. Just in case you were wondering - Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwen had the same ham sandwich every day, it was great.