Cycling legend Lance Armstrong has been charged with doping after the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) issued proceedings against him.

The seven-time Tour de France champion has angrily denied the claims and vowed to clear his name.

If found guilty, he could see his bulging trophy cabinet stripped bare by the courts.

In a statement, Armstrong, 40, who won the seven French bike marathon titles after surviving a bout of testicular cancer, issued a visceral defence of the allegations.

"I have been notified that USADA, an organisation largely funded by taxpayer dollars but governed only by self-written rules, intends to again dredge up discredited allegations dating back more than 16 years to prevent me from competing as a triathlete and try and strip me of the seven Tour de France victories I earned," Armstrong said.

"I have never doped, and, unlike many of my accusers, I have competed as an endurance athlete for 25 years with no spike in performance, passed more than 500 drug tests and never failed one."

Following those comments the USADA released their own statement to confirm the charges, which would immediately prevent Armstrong from competing as a triathlete - the sport he took up following his retirement from cycling in 2011.

It said: "USADA only initiates matters supported by the evidence. We do not choose whether or not we do our job based on outside pressures, intimidation or for any reason other than the evidence."