say it aint so Floyd
Floyd Landis, winner of this year’s Tour de France will most likely learn his immediate fate next week when the results of the testing of his ‘B’ sample are expected to confirm the elevated level of testosterone in his urine after stage 17 of the tour. Landis himself has said that he doesn’t expect the result to contradict that of his ‘A’ sample but denies any wrong doing. Like so many other cycling fans, I really want to believe him. This result, came just weeks after pre-race revelations that saw Ivan Basso, Jan Ulrich and numerous others fail to start the race just days before it started. Consequently. there’s a level of cynicism surrounding pro cycling that we’ve not seen since the expulsion of the Festina team in 1998 after one of their team cars was found to be a mobile pharmacy, and we’re not talking paracetamol.
For three weeks each year, I’m usually hypnotised by the biggest bike race in the world. Despite As Floyd Landis seized this year’s Tour de France. After cracking on the final climb a La Toussuire in stage 16, Landis not only lost his lead, but was over 8 minutes down on the leader going into stage 17. Refusing to be interviewed, Landis was a demoralised figure as he returned to the team hotel that night. He was then reported to have sunk a couple of beers and swilled a few glasses of scotch for good measure.
The next morning, a defiant Landis (with no visible hangover) attacked from the outset. In a desperate move that most thought he couldn’t hope to sustain, the likeable American just kept going, and going ala the Duracell bunny. In what seemed to be one of the great coups de gueule in recent tour history, Floyd won the stage finishing over five minutes ahead of next man in Carlos Sastre. Landis was right back in it, only 30 seconds behind Oscar Pereiro.
As we all know, Landis regained the maillot jeune in the final time trial, avoided catastrophe on the Champs Elysees and popped the champagne corks that night in Paris. Few could begrudge Landis victory, especially given that he had revealed he was facing hip replacement surgery at the end of the year mid race.
However, that was before the spectre of doping descended once again. Should Landis be stripped of his title, it would be the first time the winner has been disqualified in tour history. However, we’re facing a protracted legal battle before anything is settled. There exist precedents were cyclists have been cleared after a test result like this in the past. Either way though, Landis’ reputation will always be tarnished.
Phonak will of course sack Landis immediately should he be found guilty as they did Tyler Hamilton who was banned in 2004. Cycling can perhaps take a degree of grim satisfaction from Olympic 100m champion and world record holder Justin Gatlin’s positive test, also for testosterone. While Landis faces a two year ban, Gatlin will be banned for life should be found guilty.
Personally I feel a great deal of sympathy for the athletes. The stakes are so high and the margins minute. Furthermore, it seems apparent to my cynical eye, that plenty of people are getting away with it. Will this stop me from watching next year? No chance, but it’s not me the sport needs to worry about.
