Armstrong incensed by French media
FIGEAC, France -- Lance Armstrong has accused the French media of waging a dirty campaign against him as allegations of doping continue to overshadow the Texan's bid for a record sixth straight Tour de France win.
On Thursday another American Tour champion, three-times winner Greg LeMond, voiced his concerns over whether Armstrong was drug-free.
"Lance is ready to do anything to keep his secret," LeMond told France's Le Monde newspaper.
"I don't know how he can continue to convince everybody of his innocence. I was a big supporter of Lance the first year that he won the Tour, but with all these stories it's difficult to stay a supporter."
Armstrong, who rides for the U.S. Postal team, has always emphatically denied using performance-enhancing drugs.
Earlier this month the 32-year-old was accused of having used the banned steroid EPO in "L.A. Confidential", a book by journalists Pierre Ballester and David Walsh.
Armstrong failed in a legal bid to have a denial inserted in the book ahead of publication.
Meanwhile Armstrong's Czech teammate Pavel Padrnos could be thrown off the Tour after being caught up in an Italian doping inquiry.
Padrnos is among 10 riders and two masseurs who face an October trial in San Remo charged with the possession and use of drugs.
On Thursday Armstrong said he'd had to contend with journalists rummaging through his hotel room in search of a doping story.
"You know, as they say, the high trees get the wind," said Armstrong, whose push to claim the yellow jersey is expected to start on Friday when the Tour reaches the Pyrenees. He currently trails leader Thomas Voeckler by more than nine minutes.
"Nothing against the French but in France they're after us and they're after the sport of cycling. It's not just the Ministry of Sport, it's the media."
Armstrong said that a French television crew had attempted to enter his hotel room after he had left for Thursday's stage.
Digging for dirt
"After we left, a TV crew from France 3 was going to the hotel, the reception, to the owner, asking for our room, trying to get in our room.
"They show up and they ask sporting questions to our face, but as soon as they leave they're digging in the rooms and looking for dirt. If you left a B vitamin sitting there, that would get on TV and that would be a scandal. That's what we have to live with every day.
"This particular guy from France 3 has been following us for months and it's scandalous. The scary thing is, if they don't find anything and get frustrated after a couple of months ... well, who's to say they won't put something there and say 'look what we've found'."
France 3 reporter Hugues Huet admitted he had talked to the hotel manager but denied that he had sought access to Armstrong's room.
"It's completely ridiculous," Huet told The Associated Press.
"We do have ethics and we don't do just anything. If I played around by searching his room like that, I would be breaking the limits."
Armstrong also said he was disappointed by LeMond's comments.
"Greg LeMond was my idol as I grew up in cycling because he was a great champion and did great things on the bike," said Armstrong.
"Many of his performances were so incredible especially his remarkable return to form and win at the '89 Tour.
"I'm disappointed and dismayed that for the past four years Greg has continued to question my performances and character."
Meanwhile U.S. Postal team director Johan Bruyneel hit back at Le Monde.
"Le Monde is a newspaper whose intentions we know," said Bruyneed.
"And if I can make a suggestion to the editor it would be that they change their sports and cycling pages into a doping page. There's nothing we can do to counter it."
