A new book published in France on Thursday alleges seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong and his entourage intimidated witnesses, including former teammate Frankie Andreu, in a high-stakes court case.

The book ``L.A. Official'' by Pierre Ballester and David Walsh, who wrote ``L.A. Confidential: The Secrets of Lance Armstrong'' in 2004, is based on testimony given in a legal dispute between Armstrong and Dallas-based SCA Promotions that had a bonus contract with the cyclist.

``I have defended myself and won every court case to prove I was clean,'' Armstrong said in a statement Wednesday night. ``Yet another French book with baseless, sensational and rejected allegations will not overcome the truth.''

SCA Promotions tried to withhold a US$5-million bonus owed Armstrong for winning his sixth straight Tour de France, citing allegations of cheating in the book ``L.A. Confidential.''

Armstrong sued, and testimony in the dispute included statements from Andreu and his wife, Betsy, who alleged Armstrong told doctors in 1996 he had used performance-enhancing drugs.

Armstrong vigorously denied the doping allegations. The arbitration panel ruled in his favour, ordering the company to pay him $7.5 million.

One chapter in ``L.A. Official'' refers to an alleged conversation between Andreu and Bill Stapleton, Armstrong's agent, which the authors say took place in Belgium at the start of the 2004 Tour.

The authors say Stapleton tried to pressure Andreu to get his wife, Betsy, to back down.

According to the book, Andreu told Stapleton: ``Look, I've been protecting Lance for a while now.'' In September, Andreu told the New York Times that he had used EPO while preparing for the 1999 Tour.

The book also says that three-time Tour champion Greg Lemond was pressured into retracting a critical statement he made about Armstrong.