Lance Armstrong: Nicole Cooke 'disgusted' by drug cheat

Retired Welsh cycling star Nicole Cooke has condemned Lance Armstrong as "a disgusting human being" after the disgraced cyclist admitted drugs cheating during his career.

Armstrong's confession came in an interview with American talk-show host Oprah Winfrey.

Cooke, who won Olympic road race gold in 2008, said: "Lance Armstrong was living in his own horrible world.

"He's got no morals and he's a disgusting human being."

Before Armstrong's appearance on American television, but her comments upset former Team GB rival and colleague Lizzy Armitstead.

However, Cooke underlined the strength of her feelings in her reaction to Armstrong's confession.

She said: "The sad thing is there were clean riders who had livelihoods and careers stolen from them by Lance and we're probably not going to see those people vindicated in any way through this.

"He admitted to taking drugs, but he hasn't totally uncovered what was going on and he didn't want to get into naming names.

"There's still also the question of how deep was that corruption that surrounded Lance Armstrong that supported him and enabled him to get through testing.

"There are still so many questions to be asked and answered."

The American cyclist revealed he took performance-enhancing drugs in each of his Tour wins from 1999-2005 but said doping was "part of the process required to win the Tour".

He also said he did not feel he was cheating at the time and viewed it as a "level playing field" but now admits that "all the fault and blame" should lie with him and he was a bully who "turned on" people he did not like.

Armstrong added that he would now co-operate with official inquiries into doping in cycling.