Tour De France - Immunity Heats Up Armstrong - Report Of Bans - Usada Battle

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 champion in his looming attempt to stop the 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 chief executive Travis Tygart.

So let me get this straight . come in and tell them exactly what they wanted to hear and you get complete immunity AND anonymity? I never got that offer, Armstrong wrote in the email. This isn t about Tygart wanting to clean up cycling rather it s just a plain ol selective prosecution that reeks of vendetta.

The Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf, citing "well-informed sources," reported that Armstrong s former teammates have been given six-month bans that begin in late September.

Vaughters, currently a team director at Garmin -Sharp s cycling team, said at the start of Thursday s fifth stage of the Tour de France that the report is completely untrue. Garmin-Sharp s parent company, Slipstream, later supported Vaughters denial in a statement.

We can confirm that our Tour team is entirely focused on the Tour and media reports of suspensions are untrue, the company said in a statement to AP.

Vande Velde and Zabriskie are part of the Garmin team.

USADA's Tygart responded to The Times about Armstrong's statement and the Dutch newspaper report with an emailed statement:

USADA's investigation into doping in the sport of cycling continues," Tygart wrote. "No individual cases have been finalized, and any attempt to guess at whom potential witnesses might be only leads to inaccurate information being reported and subjects those named to unnecessary scrutiny, threats and intimidation.

"It is important to remember that the truth would often be suppressed without witnesses who at great cost to themselves are willing to tell the truth under oath about what they saw and experienced, and any attempt to circumvent the proper procedures in order to bully or silence people who may or may not be witnesses cannot be tolerated.

In France, Leipheimer, who rides for Omega Pharma-QuickStep, told AP: I m just here to ride the Tour de France , and so far I m still in the hunt for the general classification. I can t say anything.

Hincapie, who rides for BMC, told AP he just wants to help Cadel Evans keep his Tour title. Hincapie said he hasn t spoken to Armstrong recently.

I m sad he is going through this, he said. He s done so many things for the sport. His accomplishments are incredible.

BMC team manager Jim Ochowicz denied knowledge of the bans.

We ve not received any information from any authority about this issue at all, he said.

Armstrong has long denied doping, citing hundreds of clean test results and the close of a two-year federal investigation that ended in February with no criminal charges.

USADA, though, notified Armstrong and his former team manager, Johan Bruyneel, plus several of his team associates of charges of engaging in doping and a conspiracy to cover it up for years during Armstrong's run of titles from 1999-2005.

ALSO:

Photos: 2012 Tour de France

Andre Greipel wins Stage 4 of Tour de France

Lance Armstrong claims anti-doping CEO has 'vendetta' against him

lance.pugmire@latimes.com