Armstrong will answer drugs probe

The six-times Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong has said he is willing to meet French investigators looking into drug allegations involving people linked to his team.

Speaking at the start of the eight-day Paris-Nice "race to the sun", Armstrong said: "My lawyers have sent a letter to the authorities to tell them that we are available anywhere, anytime to answer their questions."

A preliminary inquiry was opened late last year by the prosecutor's office in Annecy after allegations made in the book LA Confidentiel, an unauthorised biography of Armstrong published in France. Armstrong has always denied drug use, and is suing the book's authors for defamation.

Armstrong added: "I have nothing to hide and I am available. If they [the police investigators] want to come to the race, there is no problem."

Yesterday, after the first road race stage of Paris-Nice, he finished 44th as the lead passed to the Dutchman Erik Dekker.

Britain's Olympic pursuit champion Bradley Wiggins yesterday withdrew, returning home to be with his wife Catherine who is expecting their first child.