'Lance hijacked cycling'

In 1986, Greg "Le Monster" LeMond became the first American to win the Tour de France. He went on to win it three times - again in 1989 and in 1990.

Now, the 53-year-old has lifted the lid on the Lance Armstrong doping scandal.

Asked if, following the fallout of Armstrong's doping admission in 2013 there was a chance to clean up cycling once and for all, he said: "It was really difficult for the pro cyclists in the last decade, and leading up to Armstrong's revelation every question was like an investigation: had they doped? Did they know people who had?

"I had to avoid being around for years because the first question for me was always about doping.

"I didn't like the way Armstrong extorted people. No other cyclist had ever done that. Riders were caught up in his system.

"Because of my stance I was constantly linked with Armstrong and I was basically threatened with a $20-million lawsuit, so I had to keep quiet.

"I originally thought screw it, I'm not going to be imprisoned and blackmailed and extorted, but I did and I got shut up for six years. Money talks.

"If I said anything that would mention Armstrong they would turn around and sue me, so I had to walk away from my bike.

"I believed for a long time that the sport needed to be changed but only the downfall of Armstrong would cause that to happen.

"With new leaders, like Union Cycliste Internationale president Brian Cookson, there are reasons to be optimistic.

"Now everybody will have a second thought about organising a doping programme because you're going to get caught, going to get exposed.

"Now I think most riders would rather not win races than win something and then have it ruined about 50 years down the road."

Asked if he felt vindicated when Armstrong was finally caught, LeMond said: "People ask that, but I'm not really sure vindication is the right word. I'm glad that there is clarity. I think his fall was important and the sport needed it to actually wake up.

"But the history of the doping preceding Armstrong, and my career, were greatly affected by it. I had a teammate who died of it.

"There's no absolute proof, but I know what he told me when he left our team to join another. When I left the sport I had a really bad taste in my mouth.

"There was the 1998 Festina affair, which nearly destroyed the sport, but rather than go clean Armstrong took advantage.

"You get one bad apple, then the rest turn rotten. So my issues with doping arose before him.

"But what muddied the waters was the support he gained in the US. The propaganda was frightening. He hijacked the sport.

"He used his money and used his links to talk to people at UCI and he had a 'get-out-of-jail' card that no other rider really had.

"It doesn't mean it's all foolproof now. It's a competitive sport and people will always believe they can get around the system.

"The main thing is that if there's transparency riders know what they're competing against. We know that there are honest drug tests, that they're doing their best on a level playing field.

"I hope that in three or four years there really will be no more hiding," LeMond said.