Lance Armstrong barred from Greenville ride

Disgraced American cyclist Lance Armstrong has been barred from taking part in a cycling event with ex-US Postal Service teammates as part of his lifetime ban for using performance-enhancing drugs.

Armstong`s plan to ride this weekend was scuttled because the non-competitive event in South Carolina comes under the umbrella of Colorado Springs-based USA Cycling.

The Gran Fondo Hincapie, which is named after Armstrong`s former USA teammate George Hincapie, is a 128-kilometre (80 mile) touring trek set for Saturday around Greenville, South Carolina.

"USA Cycling has informed USADA that the Hincapie Gran Fondo constitutes a cycling "activity" that is "authorized" by USA Cycling as those terms are used in the World Anti-Doping Code and in the Anti-Doping provisions of the UCI (International Cycling Union) Cycling Regulations. Under these provisions, an athlete`s suspension bars participation in an authorized activity such as this," USA Cycling spokesman Bill Kellick said.

Kellick said that the US Anti-Doping Agency asked USA Cycling to look into the matter after learning that Armstrong was planning to ride. Several of Armstrong`s ex-teammates are scheduled to take part, including Hincapie.

Armstrong was stripped of his seven Tour de France titles in 2013 for doping and handed a life ban from the sport, eventually admitting that all seven triumphs were fuelled by performance-enhancing drugs.

Armstrong admitted to doping during a television interview broadcast in January 2013 with American talk show host Oprah Winfrey.

The Texan admitted to using substances like EPO, human-growth hormone and testosterone and other drugs during the many years he dominated international cycling.

For more than a decade Armstrong repeatedly denied he ever used banned drugs and bullied others who accused him of being a cheater. 

Hincapie was one of the main witnesses who testified against Armstrong in the 2012 US Anti-Doping Agency report that exposed Armstrong`s use of performance-enhancing drugs.