Johan Bruyneel revived the controversy by posing in front of an official sign of the Tour de France where the seven canceled titles of Lance Armstrong are still.
Johan Bruyneel is still talking about him. Last Thursday, he attended the 12th stage of the Tour de France in Auch, sporting a broad smile and a provocative attitude. Former Belgian runner, winner of stages on the big loop in 1993 and 1995, Bruyneel is best known for having been the manager of the US Postal and Astana teams during the Armstrong Lance era. In 2018, the Sports Arbitral Tribunal (CAS) suspended it for life for its role in the doping of the American.
Despite this heavy passive, Bruyneel still seems to enjoy a certain popularity in the cycling world. On his Instagram account, several photos and videos published Monday show the Belgian chatting with current figures of the peloton, such as Fabian Cancellara, ex-runner and manager of the Tudor team, as well as the young American Quinn Simmons. He was also seen in discussion with Joxean Fernandez Matxin, sports director of UAE Team Emirates-XRG, and the leader Tadej Pogacar.
But it is above all a photo that particularly caused a sensation: Bruyneel posed proudly in front of an official sign of the Tour de France, pointing to the name of Lance Armstrong, sporting a large smile. This unexpected scene relaunches the debate on the memory of the American in the world of cycling. The latter had admitted in 2015 that he had doped at the EPO, which led to the cancellation of his seven titles on the Tour.
Armstrong always displayed
What surprises the most is the presence of his name on this official sign, while the International Cycling Union (UCI) has officially withdrawn since 2012. This decision followed the report of the American Anti -Doping Agency (USADA), which had denounced a systematic doping of the former Texan during his career.
If Bruyneel is suspended for life of cycling, his presence alongside the officials and on the roads of the Tour remains authorized. On Thursday, he attended the stage as a guest of the Vive le bike broadcast on the Belgian channel VRT1. According to The teamthe organization of the Tour de France would not have been informed of its arrival.
