• Tour de France

Armstrong was 'top-30 at best' when clean - LeMond

ESPN staff
October 22, 2013
LeMond was a three-time winner of the Tour de France © PA Photos
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Lance Armstrong was "at best" only capable of a top-30 finish at the Tour de France without performance-enhancing drugs, according to three-time winner Greg LeMond.

LeMond, 52, is now the only victorious American of the event after his compatriot was stripped of his seven titles in 2012.

"He's not capable of winning the Tour," LeMond told CNN. "He's not capable of the top five.

"If he was clean and everybody else was clean, he's top-30 at best."

Armstrong was banned for life following a US Anti-Doping Agency investigation into the country's Postal Service team.

LeMond, who backs the decision, added: "There are people who are criminals who just shouldn't be able to participate again in anything.

"It's like [jailed financier] Bernie Madoff - should he be allowed to come in and be a part of Wall Street managing money? No, he shouldn't.

"And that's the case with Armstrong. He shouldn't be allowed to be back in sport."

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