SILVER SPRING, Md. - Lance Armstrong juggled controversy and ceremony Tuesday, promising to take action against "absolutely untrue" doping accusations and announcing a new sponsor.
Two-and-a-half weeks before he begins his attempt to win an unprecedented sixth consecutive Tour de France, Armstrong strongly denied claims by a former assistant in a new book. She said Armstrong once asked her to dispose of used syringes and to give him makeup to conceal needle marks on his arms.
"I can absolutely confirm that we don't use doping products," Armstrong said at a news conference at the headquarters of Discovery Communications, which will begin sponsoring his team next year.
Although there have been past allegations of doping, Armstrong never has tested positive for a banned substance. He is perhaps the most drug-tested cyclist ever, having been subjected to random tests during offseasons and public tests every day he has led the Tour de France since 1999.
Armstrong said he usually ignores such claims but decided he had had enough.
"We're sick and tired of these allegations and we're going to do everything we can to fight them," he said. "They're absolutely untrue."
The allegations took some of the shine away from the announcement of a three-year, multimillion-dollar deal with Discovery, which will replace the U.S. Postal Service as Armstrong's team sponsor.
The latest accusations appear in the French-language book L.A. Confidential, the Secrets of Lance Armstrong by David Walsh and Pierre Ballester.
The heart of the accusations come from Emma O'Reilly, a physical therapist for Armstrong's team 1998-2000. The book contends Armstrong asked O'Reilly to dispose of a black bag containing used syringes after the Tour of the Netherlands in 1998. O'Reilly said she did not know what was in the syringes.
Armstrong said he and O'Reilly had a "very good working relationship," but that she was fired because of "inappropriate" issues that had arisen within the team.
Armstrong's lawyers said they were starting libel proceedings in France and Britain against Walsh and Ballester, the publishers and publications that reprinted excerpts from the book. Excerpts were published in France's L'Express magazine Monday.
TOUR DE SUISSE: Robbie McEwen won the fourth stage in a photo finish, while 1998 Tour de France winner Jan Ullrich kept his overall lead. Francesco Chicchi slowed to celebrate what he thought was a stage victory. McEwen then sneaked by to win the 133-mile leg from Le Sentier to Baetterkinden in 4 hours, 51 minutes, 50 seconds. Ullrich is two seconds ahead of Oscar Camenzind.
