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Floyd Landis makes bid for vindication; 10 highlights

Gene Bisbee — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 08:06:14 -0700

Ten months ago, I wrote the headline "Floyd Landis doping case begins today."

Well, it's deja vu all over again. The Floyd Landis doping case begins again today, only it's in front of the Court of Arbitration for Sport and it's behind closed doors.

Although it's an appeal of the 2-1 split decision in the original case heard last spring, the Court will hear the evidence as if it's a new case. Those who study this case say both sides will probably make presentations similar to last time.

The hearing will last about five days, then Landis goes back to waiting again for a decision. If it goes against him, he can't compete until his two-year suspension is lifted in January 30, 2009. If it goes in his favor, he can compete as soon as he lands a team and gets back in shape for racing.

One of the best places to find out about the case is at the Truth But Verify blog. Landis has been Topic No. 1 there since the site was created shortly after the 2006 Tour de France. Check out the "Eve of appeal Q and A" for answers to frequently asked questions.

Personally, as I'm often willing to give someone the benefit of the doubt, this case has had more ups and downs than 200 miles of stage racing through the Pyrenees.

Here are some highlights of the case so far paired with my ever-shifting personal opinion at the time ...

3 who probably won't compete in 2008; 1 who will

Gene Bisbee — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 12:18:19 -0800

Several big names in recent cycling lore probably won't be competing in 2008 because of continued appeals of doping allegations or retirement after facing suspensions. There is, however, a surprise return engagement. Let me wrap up some highlights:

Floyd Landis, who was banned from pro cycling until January 2009, is appealing that decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. The Switzerland-based panel is the last stop for the American bicycle racer, whose troubles started in August 2006, soon after the conclusion of the Tour de France.

A hearing lasting up to five days with CAS is tentatively scheduled for March 19 in New York City. Unlike his USADA appeal, it will not be open to the public

Last stage for Floyd Landis

Gene Bisbee — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 08:07:58 -0800

Floyd Landis has begun filing appeals with the Court of Arbitration for Sport, the last stage in his attempt to regain the 2006 Tour de France championship and overturn a 2-year ban from pro cycling.

The 90-page "brief," as reported at CNN, states that Landis is committed to removing dope from the sport of cycling.

"However, to wrongly strip a champion of his victory due to a flawed test is much worse than to have an athlete cheat his way to victory ....

Final results for 2006 Tour de Asterisk; Pereiro in yellow

Gene Bisbee — Mon, 15 Oct 2007 05:00:00 -0700

So Oscar Pereiro is the new winner of the 2006 Tour de France* after cycling officials stripped Floyd Landis of the title and handed it to the Spaniard 15 months after the finish of the race.

Standing on the podium in Paris on July 24, 2006, I'm sure the only dream of a Tour de France win for the Caisse d'Epargne rider involved efforts in 2007 or 2008.

Little did he know that in less than a week, the beaming American standing on the top step of the podium would be accused of doping and eventually be stripped of his yellow jersey. ......

Floyd Landis makes last-ditch effort to overturn ruling

Gene Bisbee — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 21:45:29 -0700

Floyd Landis is taking his doping case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in an attempt to overturn the ruling that threatens to ban him from cycling until Jan. 30, 2009.

There are no more appeals left for Landis after the Swiss-based court hears the case.

Landis announced his appeal from his defense-fund website, the Floyd Landis Fund.

“Knowing that the accusations against me are simply wrong, and having risked all my energy and resources – including those of my family, friends and supporters – to show clearly that I won the 2006 Tour de France fair and square, I will continue to fight for what I know is right." ...

Armstrong says "shoddy" lab work should vindicate Landis

Gene Bisbee — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 16:12:43 -0700

Silent for more than a week on Floyd Landis losing an appeal on doping charges, Lance Armstrong now says he doesn't understand how the arbitration board arrived at its 2-1 decision.

"When you are giving someone the death penalty, which they essentially did, you cannot tolerate shoddy work, which they clearly did. I don't understand that type of rationale. I don't understand the verdict.

"It's tough for Floyd; it's tough for cycling. But at the same time, it's also really tough and unfortunate for the fans of all athletes. You never know when you're in that position, when an athlete's in that position, and you want to make sure that everything's done right." ...

Landis loses doping case; faces 2-year ban

Gene Bisbee — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 12:02:28 -0700

The three-judge arbitration panel that heard the doping case of Floyd Landis this spring has voted 2-1 to uphold the allegation that the American used synthetic testosterone during last year's Tour de France.

The ruling means that Landis faces a two-year ban from professional cycling, retroactive to Jan. 30, 2007, and that he must forfeit his Tour de France championship.

Oddly enough, however, Landis won a major part of his argument about the French lab doing sloppy work, but lost the case.

The panel rejected the results from testosterone-epitestosterone ratio tests ....

Landis decision still hanging in balance

Gene Bisbee — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 14:28:53 -0700

As the end of summer rolls around, I get this terrible feeling that there's something out there I'm forgetting about; something undone.

Oh yeah. Floyd Landis. Guilty or not guilty?

We still don't know, but ... VeloNews reports that a decision may be coming in mid- to late-September. ...

Landis meets and greets at Copper Triangle ride in Colorado

Gene Bisbee — Sun, 05 Aug 2007 21:51:08 -0700

You never know who you're going to meet on a bicycle at a 10,000-foot mountain pass in Colorado.

Howard at the Why Howard Laughed blog, for instance, stumbled across Floyd Landis at the Tennessee Pass rest stop on the Colorado Cyclist Copper Triangle bike ride on Saturday.

That's why you should always carry a camera. Howard did, and now he has a picture on his blog of Landis posing....

Landis-Armstrong face-off back on at Leadville 100

Gene Bisbee — Sun, 15 Jul 2007 10:28:14 -0700

It looks like both Floyd Landis and Lance Armstrong will be racing at the Leadville 100 mountain bike race on Aug. 11 afterall.

Rob Lucas at UltraRob Adventures first had the scoop last week, as he pieced together some info about Armstrong riding part of the Leadville course with trainer Chris Carmichael and scheduling a charity event in Colorado Springs -- 3 hours away -- on Aug. 9 ...