Nevertheless, Armstrong said the eight men riding alongside him formed the "strongest ever" combination.

BBC: SPORT | Other Sport... | Cycling | Armstrong shrugs off Ekimov blow

That, now, is the sad, pathetic legacy of men such as Armstrong and Bonds.

CNN: Give Lance another chance?

Simoni is back now and has been labelled by Lance Armstrong as one of the real danger men in the overall classification.

BBC: Saeco

She recently told Cycling News that "grown men were torn to shreds by Armstrong, " and said she was "extremely grateful" to the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency for its investigation that resulted in a lifetime ban for Armstrong and loss of his seven Tour de France titles.

CNN: STORY HIGHLIGHTS