Reactions to 2006 Tour de France winner Floyd Landis' B sample confirming the "adverse analytical...
The laboratory at Châtenay-Malabry (Image credit: AFP)
Reactions to 2006 Tour de France winner Floyd Landis' B sample confirming the "adverse analytical finding" of the A sample, continue to leave the cycling world in a spin. Although legal proceedings may continue till December or January next year, possibly longer, it appears a number of the sport's figures have already cast judgement on the 30 year-old American, as can be read below.
When Landis' B sample returned positive, his Phonak team fired their star rider, effective immediately, which is in accordance with the ProTour ethical charter and the team's internal code of ethics.
Read the team statement: "Landis will continue to have legal options to contest the findings. However, this will be his personal affair and the Phonak team will no longer be involved in that.
"Team owner Andy Rihs deeply regrets this development. At present, he is clarifying with all parties involved what consequences this may have for his company ARcycling AG, the operator of the Phonak Cycling Team. Andy Rihs and Team Manager John Lelangue will make in-depth statements regarding this matter at a media conference to be held in the next few days."
Spaniard Oscar Pereiro, who finished second to Floyd Landis at the 2006 Tour de France and is poised to claim the winner's prize should the American be found guilty and sanctioned, appeared to have changed his tone to that of a few days ago.
In a recent interview with Cyclingnews, Pereiro said: "It is not the same - it doesn't have the same flavour," referring to the possibility of being named Tour winner before the result of Landis' B sample was known.
However, at a press conference in Vigo, Spain, today, he said: "Right now I feel like the winner of the Tour de France. It's a victory for the whole team." Added Caisse d'Epargne spokesman Francis Lafargue to AFP: "You can just about say he is the winner; we will just have to wait for confirmation of that in the months to come."
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Christian Prudhomme, Director general of the Tour de France, said Landis is no longer considered champion of the 2006 event, but added: "Until he is found guilty or admits guilt, he will keep the yellow jersey. This is normal. You are not sanctioned before you are found guilty.
"It goes without saying that for us, Floyd Landis is no longer the winner of the 2006 Tour de France. Our determination is even stronger now to fight against doping and to defend this magnificent sport."
Prudhomme added runner-up Oscar Pereiro would be the likely new winner: "We can't imagine a different outcome," he said.
Landis' Spanish lawyer, Jose Maria Buxeda, said: "What matters is the concept. A prohibited substance has been found in the samples, but no immediate sanction comes into effect yet. The rider will defend himself." (AP)
"It is clear that the burden of proof will be ours to explain why the tests came back positive," Buxeda said to the New York Times.
"Either we can explain that there has been a mistake in the analytical procedure, or we can explain that there are other circumstances that have created an increase in the testosterone level and a finding that the testosterone was exogenous.
"I would not expect a decision to be made in Landis's case until December of this year or January of next year," Buxeda said.
Three-time Tour de France winner Greg LeMond, who was highly outspoken about last year's winner Lance Armstrong when L'Equipe alleged he took EPO to win the 1999 Tour, told The Associated Press: "It's incredibly disappointing. I don't think he [Landis] has much chance at all to try to prove his innocence.
"When I heard it was synthetic hormone, it is almost impossible to be caused by natural events. It's kind of a downer. I feel for Floyd's family. I hope Floyd will come clean on it and help the sport. We need to figure out how to clean the sport up, and we need the help of Floyd."
Jonathan Vaughters, a friend and also a former US Postal Service team member told the New York Times, "He's already bunkering down and getting ready for a long fight."
"I don't think he even dared to have hope of that," said Vaughters, asked whether he believed Landis had hoped for a negative result. "To have the least bit of hope, then be let down, would be devastating.
"He is very adamant to prove his innocence, and as far as I know, as long as he has the finances, he'll continue to defend himself."
