
It's a whole new Tour de France -- Basso and Ullrich tossed out
by
Gene Bisbee
on Fri 30 Jun 2006 07:28 AM PDT
The two favored contenders in the the 2006 Tour de France have been thrown out in shame, caught up in a blood doping probe that started in May.
Ivan Basso, looking for his first Tour de France win, and Jan Ullrich, hoping to fulfill the promise he showed as a young Tour winner in 1997, will be watching the Tour from the sidelines this year.
The decision came less than 24 hours before the three-week race is set to begin. It changes the whole complexion of the race, and could help propel Americans like Floyd Landis, Levi Leipheimer and George Hincapie to the front of the pack. ... more »