Tyler Hamilton says Lance Armstrong gave himan illegal blood booster at his house before the 1999 Tour de France and thetwo teammates compared notes on using performance-enhancing drugs as far backas 1998.
Hamilton makes the allegations in his book, "The SecretRace. Inside the Hidden World of the Tour de France, Doping, Cover-ups andWinning at All Costs," set to be published Sept. 5. The Associated Presspurchased a copy Thursday. Armstrong agent Bill Stapleton did not immediatelyrespond to a request for comment
Hamilton and Armstrong rode together on the U.S. PostalService team.
Armstrong has long denied doping but last week chose not tofight drug charges made by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency. USADA has erased 14years of Armstrong's competitive results, including his seven Tour de Francetitles.
The book mirrors much of what Hamilton told "60Minutes" in 2011 and what he said he told federal criminal investigatorslooking into doping allegations on the Postal Service team. Officials closedthat investigation in February without bringing any charges against Armstrong.
Hamilton details his own drug use and says usage on the teamstarted even before Armstrong joined in 1998. He and Armstrong soon becameroommates and confidants who would discuss using the blood-booster EPO andother performance-enhancing drugs.
He said while visiting Armstrong's home in Nice shortlybefore the 1999 Tour, he asked the Texan if he had any EPO and Armstrongpointed to the refrigerator.
Hamilton described a doping plan put in place by the teamfor the 1999 Tour de France, with Armstrong's knowledge, that included amotorcyclist riding behind racers with a thermos full of EPO. It was to bedispensed to riders in the team camper after race stages.
He said team leaders, doctors and mangers encouraged andsupervised doping and performance-enhancing drugs were handed out to cyclistsin white lunch bags.
Armstrong has previously sought to discredit Hamilton as adrug cheat who was twice banned for doping and was recently stripped of his2004 Olympic gold medal.
According to USADA, Hamilton is among its key witnessesready to testify against Armstrong. In all, it said as many as 10 formerteammates were ready to do so. The agency has withheld most of their names,saying it feared Armstrong would try to intimidate them.