Hold the champagne
Floyd Landis tested positive for excessive testosterone after stage 17 of the Tour de France. The organizers will test another sample and if that one comes up positive, If he will be stripped of his victory. Landis and team have a chance to do a counter analysis to determine if there was a mistake. But considering that Landis has disappeared and pulled out of two races in the past two days, he probably knows the jig is up.
The only positive to come out of this is that we absolutely know that cycling’s governing body isn’t a corrupt agency. It’s bad enough to suspend a couple of favorites before the race but it’s absolutely catastrophic to have to strip away a victory. This scandal will cost cycling the 16 fans they have left.
Landis career is over as well. For all the accolades and newspaper and magazine fluff pieces that came out in the past week, there will be more roastings as writers get revenge for being embarassed writing articles like this and this.
Links:
[Reuters]: Tour de France winner Landis tests positive
[Guardian UK]: Landis positive test final blow for Tour de France
