Cycling: Armstrong sample could be retested

The head of France's anti-doping agency is ready to collaborate fully with a US federal investigation into seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong.

Pierre Bordry said yesterday he will hand over Armstrong's B samples from the 1999 Tour to Jeff Novitzky if the Food and Drug Administration agent makes an official request.

French sports daily L'Equipe reported in 2005 that Armstrong's backup samples from 1999 contained EPO – a banned blood-boosting hormone. Armstrong was later cleared by an independent panel.

Novitzky and a federal prosecutor have been handling an inquiry into allegations of organised doping in professional cycling, including whether Armstrong and members of his United States Postal Service team may have been involved.

"They can ask us anything, we will do it," Bordry said. "We can send them the samples or do the testing ourselves."