LANCE ARMSTRONG - ARMSTRONG SUED BY EX-MECHANIC

LATEST: Cycling superstar LANCE ARMSTRONG and his girlfriend SHERYL CROW have been caught up in a bitter lawsuit brought against them by the TOUR DE FRANCE hero's former assistant.

MIKE ANDERSON, who also worked as Armstrong's mechanic, claims he was wrongfully dismissed after performing above and beyond the call of duty for his boss and his girlfriend.

Anderson also claims he had a deal with Armstrong to open up a bike shop, which has now been scrapped, and he wants $500,000 (GBP63,157) in damages.

But cyclist Armstrong is laughing off the claims, insisting he reluctantly fired Anderson because he was messing up his training schedule.

Armstrong's lawyer TIM HERMAN tells American legal show CELEBRITY JUSTICE, "I think that the chemistry just didn't work. He ran errands and he was principally a bike mechanic.

"Mr Anderson tends to get car sick on training rides in Spain and Armstrong would have to go back, which was not the best training regimen."

But Anderson insists he was much more than just a mechanic, claiming he built bikes for Crow and assisted with her music production.