Otley's Lizzie Armitstead, Great Britain's first medallist of the London 2012 Olympics, believes cycling is clean now and should not continue to be tarnished by past issues of doping.

Nicole Cooke, the 2008 Olympic road race champion, retired this week, taking a parting swipe at dopers - an issue prominent ahead of Lance Armstrong's interview with Oprah Winfrey.

Armitstead, who won road race silver in London, said: "To me it's old news and should be left there. I just find it upsetting because the sport that I love, cycling, is clean now. My sport now is not that sport anymore.

"We shouldn't be adding fuel to the fire because for me, if I was a general member of the public and I saw someone in Nicole's position, at the top elite level of sport saying something like that, you're going to believe it."

Cooke revealed she had been offered performance-enhancing drugs during her career, but Armitstead insists she has not.

The 24-year-old was adamant the men's side of the sport is clean too.

Her boyfriend is Adam Blythe, who rides for BMC Racing.