Suh, Jacobs hit Paris for Vino research

While 2006 Tour de France winner Floyd Landis might not be riding into Paris this weekend, his legal defence team has landed in the French capital to investigate the non-negative A sample of Astana'a Alexander Vinokourov. Maurice Suh and Howard Jacobs reportedly touched down in Paris on Thursday, telling ESPN.com that they were there to do "preliminary research" on the Kazakh rider's case.

"I think at this point, we just want to encourage everyone to keep an open mind," Suh said. "We only have an A sample, and this is a relatively new test. LNDD only began doing it recently."

The American media outlet reported that Suh's Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher law firm will "take the lead" on Vinokourov's case. The 33 year-old's non-negative A sample, taken after his Stage 13 Time Trial victory, was tested in the same Chatenay-Malabry laboratory where Landis' sample was tested. The lab and its testing procedures became the focal point of a United States Anti Doping Agency arbitration hearing earlier this year, the outcome of which Landis is still awaiting.

In addition to Landis, the Los Angeles-based law firm has Tyler Hamilton on its list of high-profile clients.