Floyd Landis - two articles

[mimitabby]

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/08/sp.../08landis.html

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/spor...ndis-Leno.html


Landis Rekindles Attack on Doping Accusations
By JULIET MACUR

Floyd Landis set out on a vigorous public relations campaign yesterday to declare that he did not use performance-enhancing drugs to win the Tour de France.

Landis, the 30-year-old who last month became the third American to win the Tour, spoke to about a dozen television stations and newspapers in hopes of repairing his reputation after being accused of cheating.

“I’m having some bad days now, but I now have a new goal, and it’s to prove myself innocent and to figure out exactly what’s going on behind the scenes here,” he said on ABC’s “Good Morning America,” during an interview in which he appeared with his wife, Amber. He denied ever using performance-enhancing drugs.

Landis provided a urine sample after Stage 17 of the Tour, the day he catapulted himself from 11th place back into contention for the overall victory. That sample was divided into A and B samples. On July 27, the A sample came back positive for a high ratio of testosterone to epitestosterone, and also for synthetic testosterone. On Saturday, the International Cycling Union announced that the B sample confirmed the initial results.

Landis’s pleas of innocence have not protected him from the consequences of his test results. The Tour director, Christian Prudhomme, said Saturday that Landis was no longer considered champion of the event.


Leno Grills Landis on Flunked Drug Test
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Filed at 9:58 a.m. ET

BURBANK, Calif. (AP) -- By the time he taped his makeup appearance on the ''Tonight Show,'' Floyd Landis still had one theory left to float for his failed drug test.

Was it something he ate?

''Now there's also the possibility, and it's an argument that has been used by other people,'' Landis told host Jay Leno on Tuesday. ''At this point, I don't know if it's somehow or some way I ingested something that caused the tests to be that way.''

Leno didn't go easy on Landis, who canceled what was supposed to be a triumphant post-Tour de France appearance late last month because he was still in Europe following the news that he had tested positive for a high testosterone ratio during the race.

''I see you on these shows,'' Leno said, ''and I do want to believe you and evidence seems -- I don't know if it's overwhelming -- but it seems pretty conclusive, right?''

Landis said yes, if one goes by the tests, and Leno shot back, ''Why should we not go by the tests? Tell me why.''

Landis responded that there were several possibilities, saying, ''The tests and the people doing the tests would like you to believe that the only possibility is that I essentially took some drugs and that's why the test is that way.''

[latelatebloomer]

Mimitabby, I think you and I are the Floyd die-hards. I just had an overnight guest - an old friend who's a scientist AND a Mennonite AND knows someone who knew Floyd as a young man. She thinks he rides clean, too.

[mimitabby]

we;re not alone, latelate.
My husband is in our camp as well.

[Kalidurga]

Don't worry, latelate and mimi, I'm a Floyd die-hard, too, until I see proof to think otherwise. I won't say that I believe he's clean, because I don't know that. I won't say I think he's a cheat, because I don't know that either. But I rooted for Floyd all the way through the Tour and will continue to admire what I know of him while we all wait for this situation to be settled.

This is what kills me, though-- velonews.com: UCI won't give Ullrich's blood to Spanish police.

"The blood of the riders in our possession from doping controls is used for research purposes," UCI president Pat McQuaid said. "To give it for DNA comparisons is against our rules."

They sure threw that rulebook out the window when Floyd's "A" sample came back. The fact that the UCI pick and choose when to follow their own rules makes them a huge part of the entire doping problem and causes me to seriously doubt their integrity.

The teeny-tiny vindictive part of me that I try my darndest to hide from the world hopes that Floyd comes up with incontrovertible proof of his innocence and an explanation for the test results, and makes Pat McQuaid and the UCI publicly admit that they're fools. But my rational side thinks I shouldn't admit to that.

[FreshNewbie]

His testosteron was normal, its the Epistost,....whatever you name it was High, that's what said nobody mentioned in any of the articles. That's what pissing me off, is that they don't even know the facts but they start writing these stupid articles about him like they are science doctors ( I am talking about reporters).

[Tri Girl]

I'm still on Floyd's side. I just can't believe that this guy would jeapordize his ride in the TDF and his career for one day- a day when he KNEW they would test him if he won. I personally think they have somehow fudged the tests to their favor. Until I'm proven otherwise- it's innocent until proven guilty- not the other way around. I don't think those tests have proven anything.

GO FLOYD!!!

[sonicmolasses]

Definitely a Floyd supporter (and Lancaster native). Though it's getting really depressing to read the press on him of late (as I do several times a day-- I have to chill out). I really wish he hadn't gone on the weird media blitz he did because throwing out so many theories made him look silly. I wish he's just said, "I didn't do it, I don't understand it, we're going to figure it out." I hate watching the press bash him for the cortisone/Jack Daniels/thyroid/tampering theories.

[roshelleuop]

I am also on the Floyd wagon and will support him until the day he proves to everyone he is innocent. The other fishy item that I haven't seen on this thread yet is that the Tour organizers are "legally" bound to not leak any information regarding blood tests until re-tested and fully investigated.

Within minutes of the 1st blood test, it was all over the media. There were stories, reports, questioning, etc. already occuring before the 2nd blood test came back so it makes me even more think that something fishy is going on.

Roshelle from Milwaukee
http://wisconsinbetties.blogspot.com/

[Evie]

Mimitabby--As far as I can tell, almost everyone around here is on his family's side. No one who knows them/him thinks he could have done it. We go through his home town on the way to...just about everywhere, really, and there are "We Support Floyd!" signs at the firehall and all over peoples' cars. I don't know them personally, but I'm sure they have quite a network of supporters by now.

[RoadRaven]

See Floyd... we love ya!!!

You're our GEM... and we believe

[Kalidurga]

The latest issue of Spokes (a free newspaper for cycling in the mid-Atlantic region) has this on the cover: A photo of Floyd grabbing air back in his mtb days, with the headline "Promise Fullfilled". There are two articles about Floyd in the issue. One was originally printed in Spokes in March of 1996, and talks about the "uproar" surrounding a certain 20 yr old rider in the mid-Atlantic mtb scene. It talks about his racing history at the time and his upbringing, and contains some telling quotes:

'"Floyd is a completely different level of racer compared to any I've competed with," said Chris Newell, an expert from Reisterstown, MD... "If he doesn't win a race, it's because of an error he made - and he's learning from his mistakes and growing stronger. On the final at Mount Snow he descended twice as fast as the other pros."'

And this from Floyd himself, to finish the article: '"Tell all the Spokes readers to just give me a little time and I'll make all of my east coast fans proud because I will be the World Champion soon!"'

The second article was written just before the A & B test hoo-ha, though they mention the situation on the editor's page and express their hope that he'll continue to make Spokes readers proud. This article was written by one of Floyd's fellow mtb racers and is full of funny, amazing memories of Floyd's penchant for wheelies, how he'd train by riding 600 miles a week, and his great singing voice. It ends with a story of his first-ever race bonk. Apparently, before heading out on the final lap of a 24-hour team relay race, Floyd decided to energize himself with chocolate and Mountain Dew. When the bonk hit, it was so bad he couldn't even finish the race.

I got a lump in my throat thinking about what he's accomplished since then and what he's going through now. If the man was perceived as such a phenomenal racer at 20 yrs old, why on earth do people have so much trouble believing his incredible transition from Stage 16 to Stage 17 at this year's TdF?

[jpbayarea]

Hey Ladies,

Bravo to you all for being discriminating and not jumping off the cliff into the
abiss of those who just assume guilt because that second sample came
back tainted. Of course it did!!! I firmly believe he was framed and that in time the case which was so mishandled that he at least deserves an apology for that...will be thrown out. Unfortunately it doesn't really matter. Whoever framed him has effectively done with the objective must have been and ruined the post Tour opportunities that he deserved and won.

I'm proud to be a member of TE and to join with other loyal and discriminating women in remaining supportive and trusting of this man
who shows no sign of being either stupid enough or desperate enough to
risk everything by doping with a substance most know wouldn't have even
helped him with a one time dosing.

HANG IN THERE FLOYD!!!!