ALEX Dowsett says he felt 'vilified' and misinterpreted after wading into the storm over disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong.
Just before the Tour of Beijing the 24-year-old had a microphone thrust in to his face by a local television channel and described Armstrong as "still a legend of the sport. A guy who had cancer, came back and won the Tour de France".
He added: "I think it's not really important and I really don't think it matters.
"All I know is that we all are racing clean. So, it was a different sport back then."
However, the Great Baddow resident – who used to ride for the Livestrong Under 23 development cycling squad, a team that was co-owned by Armstrong – said he was referring to Armstrong's work for Livestrong, his cancer charity, rather than his cycling achievements which were discredited last week after accusations from the US Anti-Doping Agency.
"It was upsetting," he told the Chronicle from his training base in Switzerland yesterday.
"There's no point dwelling on it and I know it came down to me not being clear enough but it was quite upsetting to see how vilified I was quite quickly.
"It was taken out of context. Of course it does matter and it's terrible what he has done and the damage it's going to do to the sport."
Armstrong's charity work is something that resonates with Dowsett who himself is trying to raise the profile of haemophilia, a blood condition from which he suffers.
He said: "I think with what I'm trying to do with haemophilia it's a little bit closer to home and all those things added up to me not being clear enough.
"It's a shame, I mean look at Bradley Wiggins and all he's achieved this year and the biggest story is going to be Armstrong."
The Team Sky rider, who grew up in Maldon, insists the scale of the row and it's explosive findings were unknown to the riders when he was questioned.
"I've learned my lesson," he said.
"Out there we didn't fully know the grand scale. We'd just woken up and it had only just been released and we knew bits but we didn't really know the grand scale of what was going on back at home."
Dowsett moved to Team Sky two years ago but his deal has now expires. He looks set to join a new team in the coming weeks.
He said: "Something should be announced soon but I can't say anything yet."
In his final race of the season Dowsett finished 114th but helped teammate Edvald Boasson Hagen to third place.
"I think all things considered it was a success," he said.
"A lot of our team were either ill or injured so we only went in with five as opposed to eight. It didn't really matter where the rest of us came, we were there to support Eddy."