Quote:

 

France's anti-doping laboratory began analyzing Tour de France champion Floyd Landis' "B" urine sample Monday.

The tests, which were requested by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, were taking place at the Chatenay-Malabry lab outside Paris -- the same lab that revealed Landis' positive test after he won the 17th stage of last year's Tour.

"The analyses have indeed begun. USADA and Landis are each represented with two experts," said Pierre Bordry, the head of the French anti-doping agency. "The analyses should last about 10 days."

sre141

Apr 16 2007, 06:47 PM

What the hell took so long for the B sample to be tested?

When Marion Jones had a positive drug test, it took weeks, days, whatever for the B to get tested.

Now we're looking at almost a year for Landis? Ooook...

WeatherManNX01

Apr 16 2007, 06:53 PM

I almost wonder if he could contest the results (should they be against him) citing time as an issue.

Quote:

 

Follow-up tests on backup urine samples by Tour de
France champion Floyd Landis found traces of synthetic
testosterone, the French sports newspaper L'Equipe reported Monday.

The tests on seven "B" samples clearly showed traces of the
banned substance, the paper said on its Web site. Landis had
insisted the follow-up tests weren't necessary because the primary
"A" samples tested negative for banned substances during the
Tour.

The 31-year-old cyclist has an arbitration hearing May 14 in
California, where he is expected to question the practices of the
French lab. Landis wanted the follow-up tests on the backup samples
conducted at the UCLA lab that handles much of USADA's testing, but
the machine it uses is under repair.

If doping accusations against Landis are upheld, he faces a
two-year ban from competition. He also would be the first rider in
the 104-year history of the Tour to be stripped of the title. He
already has agreed not to compete in this year's event while the
case is pending.

Quote:

 

On the eve of a hearing that promises to be more about dry science than sensationalism, Floyd Landis escalated hostilities by launching one more missile aimed at the credibility of the authorities prosecuting him on doping charges.

Landis, addressing reporters at a news conference in Los Angeles on Thursday, said U.S. Anti-Doping Agency general counsel Travis Tygart offered to reduce his potential suspension in exchange for incriminating information about seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong "or anyone more important than me."

Tygart made the offer to Landis' lawyer Howard Jacobs shortly after the cyclist's positive test for testosterone was confirmed last August, according to Landis. He said the conversation Jacobs related to him convinced him that USADA's motivation in his case was suspect and the agency was willing "to do harm to my reputation in order to get to Lance."

Landis told ESPN.com in a brief phone interview after the news conference that he had not intended the Armstrong revelation to dominate the event, which also included a lengthy statement summarizing various arguments by his team and an announcement of his intention to file an ethics complaint against World Anti-Doping Agency president Richard Pound.

WeatherManNX01

May 11 2007, 02:40 PM

What I do see is that there is something more going on here. What exactly it is, I don't know, but something's going down.

Quote:

 

he Floyd Landis hearing has taken a chaotic twist.

Fellow American Tour de France champion Greg LeMond revealed he had been sexually abused as a child and claimed the Landis camp tried to use it as blackmail to keep LeMond from testifying.

LeMond described receiving a call that he said he later traced to the cell phone of Landis' manager, Will Geoghegan.

Quote:

 

Bjarne Riis became the first Tour de France winner to admit using performance-enhancing drugs to win the sport's premier race, further eroding cycling's credibility after a series of doping confessions.

Team CSC

AP Photo/Christophe Ena

Bjarne Riis, left, confers with Jens Voigt during the 2005 Tour de France. Riis has admitted doping during his 1996 Tour victory.

His admission Friday means the top three finishers in the 1996 Tour have all been linked to doping -- and two have admitted cheating.

The retired Dane said he used the blood-booster EPO from 1993 to 1998, including during his 1996 Tour victory, confirming years of speculation that he benefited from banned substances. He also admitted taking cortisone and human growth hormone, but didn't say when.

"My jersey is at home in a cardboard box," said Riis, now manager of the Danish team CSC. "They are welcome to come and get it. I have my memories for myself."

Cycling's governing body said even though time limits for sanctioning Riis have expired, it "urges the former rider to return his yellow jersey, the symbol of his victory."

Quote:

 

Floyd Landis lost his expensive and explosive doping case Thursday when the arbitrators upheld the results of a test that showed the 2006 Tour de France champion used synthetic testosterone to fuel his spectacular comeback victory, The Associated Press has learned.

The decision means Landis, who repeatedly has denied using performance-enhancing drugs, will have to forfeit his Tour de France title and is subject to a two-year ban.

Floyd Landis

AP Photo/Reed Saxon

Floyd Landis, seen testifying during an arbitration hearing on doping allegations against him, was banned for two years and stripped of his 2006 Tour de France yellow jersey.

The ruling, handed down nearly four months after a bizarre and bitterly fought hearing, leaves the American with one final way to possibly salvage his title -- an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

If Landis doesn't win his appeal, he'll be the first person in the 105-year history of the race to lose the title because of a doping offense.