Armstrong denies LeMond’s threat claims
Lance Armstrong denied Monday that he threatened three-time Tour de France champion Greg LeMond, calling the allegation “ridiculous.”
“Greg is just not in check with reality,” Armstrong said from New York City. “It’s ridiculous. Greg is obsessed with foiling my career.
LeMond was the first American to win the Tour de France with victories in 1986 and 1989-90. Armstrong came back from life-threatening testicular cancer that had spread to his lungs and brain to win seven in a row from 1999-2005 before retiring last year.
LeMond told the French weekly edition of L’Equipe Dimanche that he had testified in a recent legal dispute involving Armstrong.
“He threatened my wife, my business, my life,” LeMond told the newspaper. “His biggest threat consisted of saying he would find 10 people to testify that I took EPO. Of course, he didn’t find a single one.”
“All 20 cyclists on a Spanish cycling team expelled from next month’s Tour de France voluntarily gave blood tests, looking to clear their names in a nationwide doping scandal.
Soccer
Sinclair top athlete
Soccer standout Christine Sinclair of the University of Portland won the Honda-Broderick Cup, taking the trophy as the college woman athlete of the year over Seimone Augustus, Cat Osterman and two others.
Sinclair became the third soccer player to win in the 30-year history of the award, joining Mia Hamm of North Carolina in 1994 and Cindy Daws of Notre Dame in 1997.
Hockey
Canadiens re-sign Huet
Goaltender Cristobal Huet re-signed with the Canadiens, agreeing to a two-year contract after a season in which he helped Montreal make the playoffs and had a league-best .929 save percentage.
Huet had an 18-11-4 record with seven shutouts in 36 regular-season games with a 2.20 goals-against average.
Basketball
Scott nears extension
Coach Byron Scott was close to signing a contract extension with the New Orleans Hornets that could keep him with the team for three more seasons.
Scott guided the Hornets to a 20-win improvement in his second season with the club following a temporary move from New Orleans to Oklahoma City because of Hurricane Katrina.
Miscellany
Chambers banned
Dwain Chambers’ European 100-meter title was erased along with his other results the past 1 1/2 years because of the British sprinter’s doping record.
Chambers was banned for two years after testing positive for the steroid THG in November 2003. All his personal and team results from January 2002 to August 2003 were annulled by track and field’s governing body.
“Greek sprinters Kostas Kenteris and Katerina Thanou dropped their appeals of suspensions for missing doping tests before the Athens Olympics. They will remain banned until Dec. 22.
“John Velazquez was chosen chairman of the Jockeys Guild’s board of directors, another step in the union’s recovery from near-bankruptcy.