Armstrong’s former teammates get 6-month bans

By The Associated Press
Thursday, October 11, 2012

COLORADO SPRINGS – Five of Lance Armstrong’s teammates have accepted six-month doping suspensions, reduced because they provided evidence that helped the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency make the case to strip Armstrong of his seven Tour de France titles.

George Hincapie, Tom Danielson, Levi Leipheimer, Christian Vande Velde and David Zabriskie all would have received at least two-year sanctions had they not helped USADA with its case.

As part of their deals, all agreed not to participate in the Olympics this year. In June, all but Danielson announced they were withdrawing themselves from Olympic consideration but they did not give an explanation.

All the suspensions run through next February. Hincapie has said he’s retiring at the end of 2012.

Also on Thursday, Leipheimer’s team provisionally suspended the rider while it reviews the USADA report.