Tour De France Winnere, Landis, Steroid User?

[soulxtc]

Steroid Speculation Swirls Around Landis
High Levels of Testosterone Found in Tour Champ
By STEPHEN WILSON
AP Sports


LONDON (July 27) - Floyd Landis' stunning Tour de France victory just four days earlier was thrown into question Thursday when his team, Phonak, said he tested positive for high levels of testosterone during the race.

The team suspended Landis, pending results of the backup ''B'' sample of his drug test.

The Swiss-based Phonak team said it was notified by the UCI on Wednesday that Landis' sample showed ''an unusual level of testosterone/epitestosterone'' when he was tested after stage 17 of the race last Thursday.

''The team management and the rider were both totally surprised of this physiological result,'' the Phonak statement said.

Efforts to reach Landis were not immediately successful.

http://sports.aol.com/tourdefrance/story/_a/steroid-speculation-swirls-around-landis/20060727103109990001

[soulxtc]

Floyd Landis was set to make a triumphant post-Tour de France appearance on the "Tonight Show." Instead, the cyclist may end up as comedy fodder for host Jay Leno.

Landis, whose victory was put in doubt after his team said he tested positive for high testosterone levels, won't appear on the NBC talk show Friday as planned, a network spokeswoman said Thursday.

The show was informed by a representative for Landis that he was still in Europe and unavailable, the spokeswoman said. "Tonight" remains interested in having him on, she added.

NBC announced Wednesday that Landis' first talk-show appearance since winning the race Sunday would be with Leno on "Tonight" _ then came the announcement Thursday from his Phonak team that he had been suspended pending results of a backup sample of his drug test.

If Landis, of Murietta, is found guilty of doping he could be stripped of the Tour title and fired from the team.

http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/07/27/D8J4KI500.html

[soulxtc]

Floyd Landis says he didn't cheat to win the Tour de France, he doesn't know why he tested positive for high testosterone and he's sure he can clear his name. Even if he does, the American cyclist said, the disgrace of doping will probably follow him forever.

"Unfortunately, I don't think it's ever going to go away no matter what happens next," Landis said during a teleconference Thursday, hours after his Tour de France victory was thrown into question by a positive test for high testosterone following his gritty performance in stage 17 of the race.

"My immediate reaction was to look for the alcohol bottle," joked Landis, who's known to enjoy a beer while on the Tour and said he drank some whiskey with teammates the night before he staked his stunning comeback in the Alps.

The Phonak team suspended Landis, pending results from a backup sample. If found guilty, Landis could be stripped of the Tour title and fired from the team.

http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/07/27/D8J4LC200.html

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this is terrible. I hope it's a false positive, but if it's not, then he needs to do the walk of shame when giving back the win.

They should test all athletes in all sports. I'm sure we'd be surprised at how many are taking drugs.