Landis manager in apology

Will Geoghegan, who was fired by 2006 Tour de France winner Landis shortly after LeMond told the Landis doping hearing on Thursday about receiving the call the previous night, said he had acted "impulsively, after a beer or two".

Geoghegan's statement read: "I apologise to Greg LeMond and his family for the distress I caused by my call.

"I also apologise to the arbitration panel and to Floyd Landis and his legal team for the distraction.

"I have been very angry about how unfair this whole proceeding is to Floyd, a great friend and a greater champion, and stupidly tried to take out my anger on Greg.

"I acted on my own, impulsively, after a beer or two. I never thought about keeping Greg from testifying.

"If I had, I would have concluded that since Greg is such a fierce competitor, my stunt would likely make him more resolved to testify. What I did was wrong and very unfair to Greg. I am very sorry about and embarrassed by my conduct."

LeMond rocked the 10-day hearing on Thursday by revealing in his testimony he had been sexually abused as a child and that the Landis camp had used that information to try and prevent him testifying.

He told the panel he had received an anonymous call on Wednesday night and that he later traced the number to Geoghegan.

"I'm going to be there tomorrow," LeMond told the hearing the caller had said. "I'm going to be there and we can talk about how we used to hide your weenie (slang for penis)."

"It was a real threat and freaky," LeMond said. "I don't think [Geoghegan] wanted me to come today. I was shaking and shocked."

Shortly before LeMond left the court room, Geoghegan apologised for making the call, the former cycling champion said.

At the 10-day hearing, three arbitration experts will determine whether Landis injected himself with the male hormone testosterone.

If found guilty of doping, he faces a two-year suspension and the possibility of becoming the first Tour winner to be stripped of his title.