The president of the International Cycling Union and Team Garmin-Transitions cyclist David Millar came to the defense of team race director Matthew White on Thursday, and team CEO Jonathan Vaughters said he’ll back White as long as he tells the truth in an upcoming doping probe.
UCI president Pat McQuaid has asked the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority to look into the actions of White, whom Floyd Landis named as a possible doping conspirator in a letter last week to USA Cycling. McQuaid cited Landis’ confession last week of cheating, four years after fighting a doping charge that cost him his 2006 Tour de France crown.
“We take seriously the accusations, but we don’t take (Landis’) credibility very seriously,” McQuaid said from Verona, Italy, where the 18th stage of Giro d’Italia finished and where White is directing Boulder-based Garmin-Transitions.
In the letter, Landis wrote he used the blood-doping drug EPO during the 2003 Vuelta d’Espana while teammates with White.
“While training for that Vuelta, I spent a good deal of time training with Matthew White and Michael Barry and shared the testosterone and EPO that we had and discussed the use thereof while training,” Landis wrote.
White has not commented about the probe, but Vaughters said, “I will support anyone who is completely and totally honest with any governing body. I will not support anyone who lies to the appropriate authorities.”
Later, a statement released by the team said, “We believe it is time for transparency. We expect anyone in our organization who is contacted by any cycling, anti-doping or government authority will be open and honest with that authority.”
Millar, who came back in 2006 from a two-year doping ban after admitting his guilt, is furious at Landis.
“He’s reached the end of the road and I just find it disgusting,” said Millar from his home training base in Girona, Spain. “He has nothing left in cycling so he just wants to burn the house down.”
John Henderson: 303-954-1299 or jhenderson@denverpost.com
