Van Hooydonck: 'Museeuw used drugs his entire career'

Two-time Tour of Flanders winner Edwig Van Hooydonck has rubbished claims by Johan Museeuw that he only used performance enhancing drugs during the final year of his career. Following a series of allegations in January from Belgian newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws, Museeuw admitted to "not being 100 percent honest" during his final season with Quick Step-Davitamon in 2004, but denied doping in previous years.

"Museeuw used drugs his entire career, it's that simple," Van Hooydonck said in an interview with Gazet van Antwerpen.

Van Hooydonck then described Museeuw's performance during the 1992 Brabantse Pijl in Belgium. "I was in the break with Museeuw," said the Belgian. "He raced and won the E3 Prijs only the day before, a race which I didn't compete in. Then you must think: I am fresher, I have the best chance to win. Then you see that guy (Museeuw) ride away from me on the Alsemberg in a gear three teeth bigger than me.

"Later you hear that Museeuw admitted that only in his last year he used doping products. Yeah right! That guy used drugs his whole life."

Museeuw responded by saying he was sorry that Van Hooydonck would make "unfounded and wrong insinuations" and that cycling is not getting any better with such rumours at a time when so many riders are coming clean voluntarily.