A Dutch newspaper is reporting that five of Lance Armstrong’s former cycling teammates have been given reduced suspensions for admitting to doping in return for testifying against the seven-time Tour de France champion in his looming attempt to stop the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency from stripping him of the titles.
Although none of the individuals — Jonathan Vaughters, David Zabriskie, Levi Leipheimer, George Hincapie and Christian Vande Velde — have admitted to accepting the penalties, Armstrong wrote an email to the Associated Press decrying what he describes as a “vendetta” by USADA chief executive Travis Tygart.
Full story: Report of bans,immunity heats up Armstrong, USDA battle