Biking Bis - Bicycle Touring and More

Talk the talk about Floyd Landis

Gene Bisbee — Fri, 21 Jul 2006 03:00:00 -0700

I would have to go back to 1989, when I watched the taped broadcast of Greg Lemond's final-day victory over Laurent Fignon, to recall a more exciting stage of the Tour de France.

It seemed that even Floyd Landis had accepted defeat after his disasterous Stage 16 collapse. What happened Thursday wasn't a miracle, it was pure guts. Here's a sample of what's been said and written in the past 24 hours about Landis: ...

Floyd Landis -- What is hip?

Gene Bisbee — Tue, 11 Jul 2006 11:33:45 -0700

The news reports that Tour de France cyclist Floyd Landis had a deteriorated hip joint that would require hip replacement surgery intially drew a reaction of shock and awe.

Now comes the question: If it's been a problem for a year or more, why mention it now? Discovery manager Johan Bruyneel says if you're a favorite, you hide your weaknesses, not publicize them. ...

Chronic hip pain for Floyd Landis

Gene Bisbee — Sun, 09 Jul 2006 23:33:00 -0700

A troubling secret about Floyd Landis' health is coming out just the day after he climbed into 2nd place overall in the 2006 Tour de France.

The highest placed American cyclist in the Tour, and a favorite to win the race, suffers from a degenerative bone disease that gives him chronic pain and will require hip replacement surgery a few weeks after the Tour. He adopted his unusual time trial position on the bike to reduce the pain. ...

Cyclist Floyd Landis takes a break during Giro d'Italia

Gene Bisbee — Mon, 27 Mar 2006 08:57:41 -0800

Floyd Landis, the 30-year-old American bicyclist, already has two big victories under his belt in 2006: the inaugural Tour of California in February and this month's Paris-Nice.

So, instead of jumping into the Giro d'Italia in May, the team leader of the Swiss Phonak team is going to skip that three-week race to concentrate on the Tour de France in July. ...

Where in the world is cyclist Jan Ullrich?

Gene Bisbee — Thu, 23 Mar 2006 13:38:21 -0800

German cyclist Jan Ullrich will be back in the saddle at the Giro d'Italia in May, but just to tune-up for the Tour de France in July.

Ullrich, touted by Lance Armstrong as the best candidate to win this year's Tour de France, was said to be in outstanding shape when he arrived at the T-Mobile camp this spring, but has yet to race. Hmm...

Another Tyler Hamilton hearing

Gene Bisbee — Mon, 09 Jan 2006 08:14:55 -0800

Tyler Hamilton continues the battle to overturn his two-year suspension from professional cycling this week.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport hearing in Denver on Tuesday could result in a decision on Hamilton's fate in a matter of weeks.

Hamilton was suspended for two years beginning April 2005 after the American Arbitration Association/North American Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled he was guilty ...

Cyclist Roberto Heras' day in the lab; Tyler Hamilton case slated

Gene Bisbee — Mon, 21 Nov 2005 06:00:00 -0800

Imagine this scene, cycling fans.

A laboratory full of people -- technicians in white lab coats, bicycle team sponsors, maybe a cyclist or two, and at least one lawyer and a few other suits standing around.

On a table in front of them sits, what, a test tube (?) filled with a yellowish liquid.

The vial holds the final results of this year's Vuelta ...

Cyclist Leipheimer mountain biking in California off-season

Gene Bisbee — Fri, 18 Nov 2005 14:58:34 -0800

Levi Leipheimer, one of three US cyclists with a shot at winning next year's Tour de France, is taking it easy in the off-season at his home in Santa Rosa.

The soft-spoken 32-year-old told the Santa Rosa Press Democrat that he's been mountain biking Annadel and Spring Lake with his cycling mates this fall, but last week started riding his racing ...

Cyclists sentenced in 2001 Giro doping

Gene Bisbee — Tue, 25 Oct 2005 08:57:11 -0700

Five bicycle racers, including Dario Frigo, and a trainer received suspended sentences on Monday stemming from a raid by Italian police who found drugs and syringes in their hotel rooms during the 2001 Giro d'Italia.
The most well-known among the five, Frigo, also was forced to drop out of the 2005 Tour de France, reports the TdF 2005 blog, after police ...

Lance's and Roberto's bikes auctioned off; charities richer

Gene Bisbee — Fri, 21 Oct 2005 10:56:03 -0700

For those of you at home who are keeping score, the Lance Armstrong bike beat the Roberto Heras bike in the charity auction sweepstakes this week.

The diamond-studded Madone 5.9 SL donated by Trek to Richardson's Bike Mart in Dallas brought $75,000 at the Lance Armstrong Foundation's gala auction in New York City, reports BikeBiz.com....