THE INTERNATIONAL Cycling Union (UCI) has denied claims made by a former team-mate of Lance Armstrong that the seven-time Tour de France winner failed a drugs test but had the results covered up.

Tyler Hamilton, speaking to the CBS programme 60 Minutes on Sunday, described an alleged systematic programme of doping in the US Postal team in which he claimed Armstrong played a leading role.

Among his claims, Hamilton also implicated the UCI by alleging Armstrong tested positive at the 2001 Tour de Suisse.

He said Armstrong made a deal with the UCI, and they “figured out a way for it to go away”.

But in a statement released yesterday, the UCI condemned Hamilton and dismissed his claims.

“The International Cycling Union categorically rejects the allegations made by Mr Tyler Hamilton, who claims that Lance Armstrong tested positive for EPO during the 2001 Tour of Switzerland and had the results covered up after one of his representatives approached the Lausanne laboratory responsible for analysing test results from the event,” the statement said.

“The UCI is deeply shocked by the seriousness of the allegations made on the 60 Minutes programme aired by US television network CBS, and by the extent of the media interest in the case, and wishes to state once again that it has never altered or hidden the results of a positive test.

“The UCI can only express its indignation at this latest attempt to damage the image of cycling by a cyclist who has not hesitated to abuse the trust of all followers of cycling on several occasions in the past.

“At no time did he see fit to inform the UCI of the events he claims to have witnessed 10 years ago, and which he is now using in his attempt to harm the UCI.”