Lance Armstrong has admitted that he would still be lying about blood doping, if he was not unmasked two years ago.
Armstrong won Tour de France a record seven consecutive times, from 1999 to 2005. It was later found that the American used performance-enhancement drugs to win those competitions, and he was disqualified from all the races and banned from competitive cycling for life.
"If this stuff hadn't taken place with the federal investigation, I'd probably still be saying 'no' with the same conviction and tone as before. But that gig is up," Armstrong said in a telephonic interview with CNN.
The 42-year-old, who is a cancer survivor, was stripped of his seven Tour de France titles last year, after United States Anti-Doping Agency showed their findings.
However, Armstrong repeatedly denied the use of drugs and also slammed the ones who accused him of cheating.
"No one forced me or bullied me, so I am not going to say 'It's not my fault' I blame myself, that's the bottom line," he pointed out.
The Texan admitted to using performance-enhancement drugs during a television interview with Oprah Winfrey in January 2013.
Armstrong told CNN that his "day-to-day life is positive". When asked about seeking therapy, he said: "My therapy is riding my bike, playing golf and having a beer. I haven't gotten around to it [therapy]. I get it totally, but it's not something that's taken place yet."
"I never get crap, not once, and I'm surprised by that. Sure, I sometimes get the vibe that someone wants to say something, but it's never happened."
Armstrong also questioned why he has been banned for life, while other proven dopers have escaped the penalty.
"I think most people are smart enough to say: 'That doesn't make any sense. What stands out in a lot of people's minds is that we all know what happened in those other years, but those [results] still stand."
Armstrong said he plans to write a new book, promising that it would be completely honest, unlike his previous book "It's Not About the Bike".
"I need to write a book and it needs to be pretty raw. The book needs to be pretty intense and transparent. I need to 'boom' - put it out there and let it sit."
