Lance Armstrong yesterday apologised to the staff of the cancer foundation he started. He did so on the day Oprah Winfrey was scheduled to interview him in what is widely expected to be his first admission of doping.

“He had a private conversation with the staff, who have done the important work of the foundation for many years,” said Livestrong Foundation spokeswoman Katherine McLane.

“It was a very sincere and heartfelt expression of regret over any stress that they’ve suffered over the course of the last few years as a result of the media attention,” she said. The apology came as Armstrong was due to tape an interview with Winfrey – his first since being stripped of his seven Tour de France titles.