Cycling: Lance Armstrong retains some support on tour

Lance Armstrong (GETTY IMAGES)

Lance Armstrong still has some support among riders in elite cycling despite a damning report by the US Anti-Doping Agency that detailed testimony from 26 witnesses, including 11 former teammates.

Samuel Sanchez, the 2008 Olympic road race champion, is among those supporting the American rider.

In a Spanish language television interview with The Associated Press before today's third stage of the Tour of Beijing, the Euskaltel-Euskadi rider says, "Until the contrary is proved, he remains innocent. Lance has overcome many controls and even until today he has never been found positive in any of them."

USADA released vivid details of the doping accusations, portraying Armstrong as a man who spared nothing to win the Tour de France seven times. The agency has ordered that Armstrong be stripped of those titles.

AP