Tour Not Clean yet: at least one rider sample positive

The German federation has told German TV that the UCI did not contact them. Same is true for Austrian and Suisse federation. Meaning if this is true, it isn't Klöden.

Here's a source, for those who can read German:

http://tour.ard.de/dtour/aktuell/kw30/dopingfall_tdf.htm

 

No problem, it's sad that it doesn't seem to stop...

 

Confusion as Landis misses crit dates

27/07/2006
Despite Floyd Landis's absence from two post-Tour criteriums being apparently down to doctors' orders, a number of reports in Europe are linking the American with yesterday's UCI announcement of a positive dope test at the Tour.

Speculation is growing as to the whereabouts of Tour de France champion Floyd Landis after the American missed Wednesday evening’s Acht van Chaam criterium in Holland despite being the event’s star attraction. News organisations across Europe are linking Landis’s unexpected absence from the event with yesterday’s announcement by the International Cycling Union that a rider had failed a drug control at the Tour, although there is currently little evidence to link Landis with the UCI’s announcement.

According to the Dutch media, Landis missed the Chaam event on the advice of his doctors. The 30-year-old Phonak team leader announced early in the Tour that he is due to undergo surgery on a degenerative hip joint in the coming weeks.

John van den Akker, the agent who booked Landis for Chaam, was annoyed at Landis’s absence from the event. “We paid a lot of money for him and consequently we are awaiting an explanation from him,” he told the AFP news agency, adding that he “suspects that something serious has happened”. Van den Akker also said he had tried to contact Phonak team manager John Lelangue “during all of [Wednesday] evening, but failed”.

Landis was also due to take part in the Grand Prix Jyske Bank event in Denmark today. “It’s with great regret that we have to announce that Floyd Landis will not take part in the race at Silkeborg. Our Dutch partners from Cycling Service have told us not to expect him,” said Jesper Tikoeb, a member of the organising committee of the Danish race.

“It seems like everyone has gone underground,” he added of Landis and Phonak’s management team. "We are, of course, seeking an explanation, and are working on it in the hope of being able to bring you further information at this afternoon's planned press conference at 16.00 at Jyske Bank in Silkeborg."

This morning’s edition of Danish paper Ekstra Bladet reports that the positive dope test at the Tour was recorded after the stage which finished at Morzine, which Landis won, and that the product involved was a stimulant. However, US Cycling has denied that the rider under suspicion was registered with them. The French federation has also said it has received no contact from the UCI suggesting it was one of their riders who had tested positive, and the Spanish and Italian federations have done the same. CSC press officer Brian Nygaard told Ekstra Bladet that the rider involved was not from the Danish team.

UCI president Pat McQuaid has refused to confirm whether the rider involved in the positive doping case is Landis, but has told a number of reporters that he is “very angry” with the news and admitted the credibility of the sport is in danger. He is quoted on the Italian Tuttobici website as saying: "It's the worst possible scenario."

procycling attempted to contact Phonak PR Georges Leuchinger, but could only speak to an assistant at his agency, who said he'd gone on holiday and hadn't taken his phone with him. Attempts to contact Phoank team manager John Lelangue only led to a full voicemail message box.

Source: http://www.procycling.com/news.aspx?ID=2341

 

L'Equipe is reporting that Landis will not be racing today in Denmark as well, FYI:

http://www.lequipe.fr/Cyclisme/20060727_110810Dev.html

"Ce jeudi, la rumeur devrait enfler encore un peu plus car Landis a une nouvelle fois renoncé à participer à une course, le Grand Prix Jyske Bank au Danemark. «C'est avec un grand regret que nous devons annoncer que Floyd Landis ne participera pas à la course de Silkeborg. Nos partenaires néerlandais de Cycling Service nous ont informés de ne pas l'attendre», a souligné Jesper Tikoeb, du comité organisateur. Affaire à suivre... (Avec AFP)"

[edit: MJtj beat me to it... ]

 

And standards!

 

"and that the product involved was a stimulant."

I find that easier to believe than Testosterone, it would have had a more imediate impact on performace. And could explain crossing the line like a crazy who wanted to murder somebody. Charging is what i believe cyclists call it.

 

Actually it makes sense, if Landis did take testosterone and was afraid of a positive test, beer is the perfect solution, the body gets rid of all toxins. Wasn't he quoted of drinking beer prior to and after the stage to Morzine?

 

and now we know why landis drunk (spelling) so much water the last stages

 

I am not looking for a cover-up but let's hope everyone was clean as it taints the sport further, and will play harder on those that are trying to clear their names.

 

Cycling is in disarray and we knew from Fuentes that there were several riders still riding under the influeence... if it is Landis, get rid of him and lets move on....

 

If it is Landis, he shouldn't get banned and the others implicated in Puerto get off. Just provide the TUE and let's move forward.

 

That is fine if a rider is guilty but over the past month I have seen "Doping Vultures" ready to jump on what they perceive as their favorites rivals and send them straight to hell if there is any indication of guilt.
I believe we take more pleasure in our rivals defeat that out favorites victories.
I am frustrated not knowing for sure if anyone has won the TDF in the past ten years without illegal medication.
What next,someone is going to tell me that women fake orgasms. The world has gone mad!

 

Ugh. I feel sick. I've been a big Floyd advocate - he lives less than a mile from my old house in SoCal. I can't imagine the impact if he's implicated, not just to the fans, but to all cycling events and to cycling coverage in general.

This would be particularly hard for his parents to take...

 

Spiegelonline published an article with a quote of US cycling federation spokesman Andy Lee saying that the US cycling federation doesn't comment such things...

"Der Sprecher des US-Radsportverbandes, Andy Lee, wollte sich zum jüngsten Dopingfall nicht äußern. "Wir kommentieren solche Sachen grundsätzlich nicht", ließ er SPIEGEL ONLINE wissen und verwies auf die US Anti-Doping-Behörde.

http://www.spiegel.de/sport/sonst/0,1518,428807,00.html

The US anti doping ageny also didn't comment:

While the cyclist who tested positive for doping at the Tour de France won't be identified until backup tests are complete, it does not appear to be any member of USA Cycling — including champion Floyd Landis.

...........

U.S. Anti-Doping Agency spokeswoman Carla O'Connell said that group had no comment.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060727/ap_on_sp_ot/cyc_tour_de_france_doping_8

It doesn't say why it does not appear

 

CNN has Andy Lee quoted as saying "USA Cycling has not been contacted by UCI"

 

That is from yesterday.... a fax, letter or what ever method of contact will take a day to reach them.... Landis and Phonak have shut up shop.... have you ever seen a Tour winner not do any press after a win or not turn up to post Tour commitments ? I think not... he has guilt written all over his actions....

 

on stage 17.....4 riders have to do a dopingcontrol. We only know Pereiro and Landis. We don't know the other two riders...nothing on the internet....how come? during a stage they always mention the 4 riders....and know no info about the two other riders. If we get those names we will know fast enough who used doping.

 

Landis' is the only name being mentioned, if it wasn't him then surely his people and Phonak would have released some kind of statement by now saying it's not him? They wouldn;t just hide. People don't hide unless they have something to fear. If it's not him then both him and Phonka need to hire new PR people.

 

I agree, I think Phonak are waiting for the B-Sample before they comment... but to go off the raider completely after winning a Tour is very strange !