Lance Armstrong Can’t Ride With Hincapie
Cyclist prevented from riding in noncompetitive event
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A reunion of Lance Armstrong and several former teammates scheduled for this weekend at Saturday’s Hincapie Gran Fondo in Greenville, South Carolina, has been scuttled by USA Cycling.
Lance Armstrong was set to ride in the event with George Hincapie, the event’s host and Armstrong’s teammate during his seven Tour de France wins, according to VeloNews. He would have joined former teammates Michael Barry, Kevin Livingston, Christian Vande Velde, and Tom Danielson.
But as VeloNews later reported, the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency was investigating Armstrong’s participation. The event is sanctioned by USA Cycling, and Armstrong’s ban disqualifies him from any event sanctioned by a signatory of the World Anti-Doping Code. On Thursday, USA Cycling clarified to VeloNews that Armstrong was banned from participating.
Armstrong is unique among disgraced American pros for receiving a lifetime ban for using performance-enhancing drugs. Hincapie, who admitted to doping in 2012 during the course of the Armstrong investigation, received a six-month ban, which he served in retirement. “I’ve made mistakes, along with some of the other riders in attendance, but I believe in, and hope for, second chances for everyone,” Hincapie told VeloNews.