Lance Armstrong 'not surprised' by French Senate's report of 18 positive tests for EPO at 1998 Tour de France He added: "If we don't come together, have the conversation and draw a line in the sand and then move on, we're all screwed." Meanwhile, former cyclist Laurent Jalabert has issued a statement today maintaining he was following the advice of team medical staff at the time of his positive EPO test in 1998. The Frenchman, who retired from racing in 2002, was among the 18 riders named by the French Senate Commission having allegedly returned a urine sample positive for EPO. A statement released by Jalabert's lawyers today and reported in L'Equipe, reaffirmed his stance that he had only been following instructions of his ONCE team. It said: "His name is cited. He acknowledges this state of fact. In keeping with his declarations before the senatorial commission of inquiry, he reiterates that he followed the prescriptions of the medical staff at his successive teams. Although no element of law has been officially notified to him, Laurent Jalabert today assumes responsibility for it and bears the consequences. In the statement, Jalabert's lawyer also said that his client "regrets that through the excesses of a past period, the image of contemporary cycling and that of the Tour de France have again been besmirched when he has always worked to promote them." The 18 cyclists who tested positive are: Marco Pantani, Jan Ullrich, Mario Cipollini, Laurent Jalabert, Erik Zabel, Bo Hamburger, Manuel Beltran, Andrea Tafi, Marcos Serrano, Jackie Durand, Jens Heppner, Jeroen Blijlevens, Nicola Minali, Fabio Sacchi, Eddy Mazzoleni, Abraham Olano, Laurent Desbiens and Kevin Livingston.