In an exclusive interview with French newspaper Le Monde, disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong claimed it’s impossible to win the Tour de France with doping and admitted he was never afraid of anti-doping measures – all on the eve of the 100th edition of the race.

“Impossible to win the Tour de France without doping. Because the Tour is an event where oxygen is too important,” he told Le Monde.

Armstrong noted that while he may have stripped up his seven Tour de France titles, no one has stepped forward as the new winners of those races.

“It’s fine to erase my name from the winners lists, but the Tour did take place from 1999 to 2005, so there has to be a winner,” Armstrong said. “Who is it then? I will let other people debate over who was the true winner of those Tours. But so far no one has stood up and claimed my yellow jerseys.”

In the interview, Armstrong admits that he had “never been afraid of anti-doping controls,” and was far more afraid of Douane, or French customs.

“I did not invent doping, sorry Travis [Tygart, head of USADA] ; nor did I end it. I merely participated in it. I am a human being,” Armstrong said.

When asked about regrets, Armstrong remained resolute in his mission to restore his reputation – a mission he admits his futile.

“I will never be able to repair this, but I will spend my life trying. I was too hard on people. I was too much of a ‘fighter’. Fighting on the bike is perfect. Fighting off it is not. I couldn’t, and didn’t, separate the two.”

The 100th Tour de France begins June 29.

[Featured photo via AP]