Floyd Landis
Encyclopedia
Floyd Landis is an American
retired cyclist who after initially being awarded victory in the 2006 Tour de France
was stripped of his title for a doping offense. He was an all-around rider, with special skills in climbing and time-trialing, and is also known to be a very fast descender.
Landis turned professional in 1999 with the Mercury Cycling Team. He joined the US Postal Service team in 2002, and moved to the Phonak Hearing Systems
team in 2005. In January 2010, a French judge issued a national arrest warrant for Landis on computer hacking charges related to the 2006 doping allegations.
In 2006, Landis won the first edition of the Amgen Tour of California, before going on to finish first in the 2006 Tour de France
. He was stripped of his Tour de France victory and fired from the Phonak team after a drug-control test demonstrated the presence of a skewed testosterone/epitestosterone ratio
during stage 17.
Until 2010, Landis maintained his innocence, and mounted a vigorous defense. Although Landis's legal team documented inconsistencies in the handling and evaluation of his urine samples, the disqualification was upheld.
He was suspended from professional competition through January 30, 2009, following an arbitration panel's 2-to-1 ruling on September 20, 2007. Landis appealed the result of the arbitration hearing to the Court of Arbitration for Sport
, which subsequently upheld the panel's ruling.
During the 2008 season, Landis worked as an advisor for Rock Racing
. After completion of the suspension, Landis joined OUCH Pro Cycling Team. His first race following his suspension was the 2009 Tour of California
, in which he finished 23rd out of a field of 84 riders. He parted ways with the OUCH team at the end of 2009. He then raced the Tour of Southland
in New Zealand
in November 2009 with local team CyclingNZshop.com-Bio Sport.
On May 20, 2010, after almost four years of contesting the allegations against him, Landis admitted to continual doping and alleged that Lance Armstrong
and many other top riders who rode on his team doped as well. The admissions and accusations came in an e-mail Landis sent to cycling officials three weeks before it was leaked to the media. Landis is cooperating with Food and Drug Administration
agent Jeff Novitzky
.
In January 2011, Landis was unable to find a new team, and ended his professional career.
in West Earl Township
, Lancaster County
, Pennsylvania
. He was raised in a devout Mennonite
family and community.
Landis used his first bike to ride while out fishing with his best friend but quickly learned to enjoy riding for its own sake. At one point, he became determined to ride in a local race. Landis showed up wearing sweatpants because his religion forbade wearing shorts; he won anyway. More wins followed as Landis continued to enjoy the sport. Disturbed at his son's participation in what he considered a "useless" endeavor, Landis's father tried to discourage him from racing his bike by giving him extra chores. This left him no time to train during the day, so he would sneak out of the house at night to train, sometimes at 1 or 2 a.m. and often in the freezing cold. Landis's father, a devout Mennonite, received a tip that his son had been going out at night. He did not appreciate his son's passion for cycling and thought he might be getting into drugs or alcohol. He often followed Landis at a distance to make sure he was not getting into trouble. Today, Landis's father has become a hearty supporter of his son and considers himself one of Floyd's biggest fans.
race he entered. In 1993, he was crowned U.S. junior national champion. He told friends he would win the Tour de France
one day. At age 20, Landis moved to Southern California
to train full time as a mountain biker. He soon established a reputation for toughness, once finishing a race riding on only his rims. However, his training regimen resembled that of a road biker, and in 1999 he switched to road cycling.
Landis performed well enough on the road that Lance Armstrong
recruited him to U.S. Postal and chose Landis to ride alongside him in three straight Tours de France (all of which Armstrong won) from 2002 to 2004. Landis often pushed the pace in the mountains to break the pack before Armstrong made his final move. In the 2004 tour, Landis led Armstrong and a few of Armstrong's main rivals over the final climb of stage 17, putting on such an impressive display of strength that comedian and avid bike-racing fan Robin Williams
dubbed him the "Mofo of the Mountains". Landis' performance led some observers to peg him as a possible team leader and future winner of the maillot jaune. Landis left U.S. Postal later that year after receiving a better contract offer from the Phonak squad.
In the 2005 Tour de France
, Landis finished ninth overall in the General Classification
, his highest finish in the tour at that time.
Landis started the 2006 season strongly, with overall wins in the Amgen Tour of California
, and then in the prestigious Paris–Nice, both week-long stage races. Winning Paris–Nice gave Landis 52 points in the UCI ProTour
individual competition, starting him off in first place for 2006. Landis continued his display of strength with another overall win in the Ford Tour de Georgia
, which took place from April 18 to April 23. In addition to winning the Tour de Georgia time trial, Landis managed to retain every second of his lead through the mountains with a close second place finish to Tom Danielson
on Brasstown Bald
, the most difficult climbing stage of the tour.
during the 2006 Tour de France. This deterioration in the ball joint of his right hip stemmed from diminished blood supply and constricted blood vessels caused by scar tissue. The original injury that led to the formation of the scar tissue was a femoral neck fracture sustained in a bicycle crash during a training ride near his Southern California home in October 2002. Landis kept the ailment secret from his teammates, rivals, and the media until an announcement was made while the 2006 Tour was underway. This same ailment also affected former multi-sport athlete Bo Jackson
and American football
player Brett Favre
.
Landis rode the 2006 Tour with the constant pain from the injury, which he described thus: "It's bad, it's grinding, it's bone rubbing on bone. Sometimes it's a sharp pain. When I pedal and walk, it comes and goes, but mostly it's an ache, like an arthritis pain. It aches down my leg into my knee. The morning is the best time, it doesn't hurt too much. But when I walk it hurts, when I ride it hurts. Most of the time it doesn't keep me awake, but there are nights that it does."
During the Tour, Landis was medically approved to take cortisone
for this injury, a medication otherwise prohibited in professional cycling for its known potential for abuse. Landis himself called his win "a triumph of persistence" despite the pain.
Landis underwent successful hip resurfacing
surgery on September 27, 2006, receiving a Smith and Nephew Birmingham metal-on-metal hip joint, a durable joint ideal for athletes, that had recently been approved by the U.S. FDA.
The test on Landis's stage 17 A sample had been performed by the French government's anti-doping clinical laboratory, the National Laboratory for Doping Detection (LNDD). LNDD is a division of the Ministry of Youth, Sport, and Social Life and is accredited by WADA, the World Anti-Doping Agency
.
In early August, Landis was found guilty of doping and was disqualified. The second place rider, Óscar Pereiro, became the race's official winner. The decision of whether to strip Landis of his title was made by the International Cycling Union
(UCI). Under UCI rules, the determination of whether a cyclist violated any rules must be made by the cyclist's national federation, in this case USA Cycling
, which transferred the case to the United States Anti-Doping Agency
(USADA).
David Witt, a close personal friend who introduced Landis to his future wife (the daughter of Witt's then girlfriend and future wife), shot himself with a handgun in the North Park
community of San Diego on August 15, 2006.
Landis and Witt met as roommates in 1998 when Landis moved to San Diego. Witt and Landis shared the same cycling coach, and Witt was instrumental in Landis' transition from mountain biking
to road bicycle racing
. Witt and his wife attended the 2006 Tour de France
and were in Paris with Landis to celebrate his victory. Witt's North Park
restaurant was adorned with Landis memorabilia, including two of Landis' jerseys. The San Diego Union-Tribune reported that a Landis family spokesman read the following from a statement: “Floyd, Amber and the family are devastated by the news of David's death. They loved him dearly, and they miss him. [The Landises] hope their privacy is respected in this time of mourning." Many years later, Landis claimed that Witt may have killed himself because of his knowledge of Landis' doping practices. In a 2010 ESPN interview, Landis acknowledged that Witt knew about Landis' doping and said, "I'm not saying that's the reason he's dead, but without that, I don't see why he wouldn't still be here."
Even before the USADA's ruling on this matter, the controversy resulted in the disbandment of Landis's former team, Phonak.
On September 20, 2007, Landis was found guilty of doping by a 2–1 vote of the hearing committee, with Patrice Brunet and Richard McLaren in the majority, and Christopher Campbell dissenting. Landis was also banned from the sport for two years, dated retroactively to January 2007. Landis appealed the decision of the committee to the Court of Arbitration for Sport
(CAS). The hearing ran from March 19 to March 24, 2008 in New York
. The decision was announced on June 30, 2008, with the result that the conviction and ban were upheld. In September 2008 Landis moved in U.S. federal court to vacate the CAS arbitration award, contending that the procurement of the award was tainted by partiality and conflicts of interest. Additionally, Landis contested the $100,000 U.S. "costs" award, characterizing it as a disguised punitive award. The parties agreed to dismiss the case with prejudice in December 2008, finally ending the litigation surrounding the doping case.
On April 14, 2009, the French newspaper L'Express reported information that had been obtained from hacking into the French national laboratory for doping detection. The information was sent to a Canadian counterpart lab from a computer registered to Arnie Baker, Landis's ex-coach. On August 25, 2009, The New York Times reported, "No evidence has surfaced to connect Mr. Landis or Dr. Baker to the hacking, and each has denied any involvement." However, on February 15, 2010, it became known that a French judge issued an arrest warrant for Landis on the hacking charge in late January.
During 2006 and 2007, Landis is believed to have raised about $1 million from the “Floyd Fairness Fund." He appealed to supporters to donate "anything they could" to help him pay his reportedly $2 million legal bill, while vigorously denying his involvement in doping.
, a U.S. team that races domestically. His first race following his suspension and his first race as a member of the OUCH team was the 2009 Tour of California
, in which he finished 23rd out of a field of 84 riders. Landis parted ways amicably with the OUCH team at the end of 2009, stating he wished to ride the longer, tougher stage races offered in Europe and internationally that better suit his strengths. He then raced the Tour of Southland
in New Zealand
in November 2009 with local team CyclingNZshop.com-Bio Sport, finishing 17th overall out of a field of 95 riders. For the 2010 season, he joined the Bahati Foundation Cycling Team. However, after Landis admitted to doping himself and accused many other prominent American cyclist of doping (discussed below), the Bahati Team began to fall apart, and Landis competed in the July 2010 Cascade Cycling Classic in Bend, Oregon as a lone rider without a team.
Landis was unable to find a team in the next months, and in January 2011 decided to end his career.
, The Wall Street Journal reported that Floyd Landis had sent a series of emails to senior cycling and anti-doping officials in which he admitted to doping from June 2002 through his victory in the 2006 Tour de France. It was also reported that Landis and his coach Dr. Brent Kay sent emails to Tour of California director Andrew Messick. Landis had asked Messick to be allowed last-minute entry to the 2010 race; when Messick refused, Landis released his allegations regarding cycling to the media. He furthermore accused several former teammates, including Lance Armstrong
and George Hincapie
, of using EPO and blood transfusions in the 2002 and 2003 seasons. Landis also claims there was blood doping at the 2004 Tour de France. Armstrong and Team RadioShack maintained that Landis and his coach had asked for a spot on Team RadioShack, and Landis only went public with the allegations after being denied a contract. Landis also alleged that he assisted Levi Leipheimer
and Dave Zabriskie in taking EPO before the Tour of California one year. In an ESPN
interview that day, Landis steadfastly denied that he had used synthetic testosterone during the 2006 Tour de France but admitted to illegally using human growth hormone and other doping modalities. The 2006 Tour de France was the only race to produce evidence Landis had ever used banned substances. Floyd Landis admitted that he had no physical evidence to support his allegations of others' involvement in doping, but that his emails were intended to "clear his conscience."
Landis also stated that Armstrong told him in 2002 that U.S. Postal Service Pro Cycling Team director Johan Bruyneel
had made a "financial arrangement" with the International Cycling Union (UCI)
to ensure that details of a positive test on Armstrong remained confidential. Pat McQuaid
, the president of UCI
, who had received copies of Landis' emails, said that Landis' allegations were "completely untrue", that Landis was "seeking revenge," and that UCI had "made contact with a lawyer and will take appropriate action."
Bruyneel, meanwhile, "absolutely den[ied] everything [Landis] said" and noted that several people "have had the story for a few weeks but didn’t give it any credibility" and that Landis was "angry at the world" for the collapse of his career following his conviction. Olympic medalist Steve Hegg said he felt "betrayed" and "deceived" and characterized Landis as "a bitter guy." Noted pro David Millar
, who served a two-year suspension for EPO doping from 2004 to 2006 and is on the 2010 Garmin-Transitions team, said: "If [Landis] had stood up and manned up four years ago, he'd be racing the Tour de France now. He'd have a different book out. He'd have not lost a penny. He'd be admired by young people. He would have a different life ahead of him..."
Both the World Anti-Doping Agency and the U.S. government are investigating Landis' accusations. In a sign that the U.S. Justice Department is pursuing a serious inquiry, the case investigation is being led by Jeff Novitzky
, a special agent with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and Doug Miller, an experienced federal prosecutor, both of whom were part of the BALCO
investigative team.
in which he described his plans and training to race professionally in NASCAR
.
In November 2011, Landis and his former coach, Arnie Baker
, were convicted of "benefiting from" hacking into the computers of the Chatenay-Malabry
anti-doping lab. Both received 12-month suspended sentences.
2000 – Mercury Pro Cycling Team
2001 – Mercury Pro Cycling Team
2002 – U.S. Postal Service
2003 – U.S. Postal Service
2004 – U.S. Postal Service
2005 – Phonak Hearing Systems
2006 – Phonak Hearing Systems
2009 – OUCH Pro Cycling Team
2010 – Bahati Foundation
WD = Withdrew
DQ = Disqualified
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
retired cyclist who after initially being awarded victory in the 2006 Tour de France
2006 Tour de France
The 2006 Tour de France was the 93rd Tour de France, taking place from July 1 to July 23, 2006. It was won by Óscar Pereiro following the disqualification of apparent winner Floyd Landis....
was stripped of his title for a doping offense. He was an all-around rider, with special skills in climbing and time-trialing, and is also known to be a very fast descender.
Landis turned professional in 1999 with the Mercury Cycling Team. He joined the US Postal Service team in 2002, and moved to the Phonak Hearing Systems
Phonak (cycling team)
Phonak was a Swiss professional cycling team from 2000 until 2006. The team was one of 20 teams in the first UCI ProTour in 2005...
team in 2005. In January 2010, a French judge issued a national arrest warrant for Landis on computer hacking charges related to the 2006 doping allegations.
In 2006, Landis won the first edition of the Amgen Tour of California, before going on to finish first in the 2006 Tour de France
2006 Tour de France
The 2006 Tour de France was the 93rd Tour de France, taking place from July 1 to July 23, 2006. It was won by Óscar Pereiro following the disqualification of apparent winner Floyd Landis....
. He was stripped of his Tour de France victory and fired from the Phonak team after a drug-control test demonstrated the presence of a skewed testosterone/epitestosterone ratio
Floyd Landis doping case
The Floyd Landis doping case is a doping scandal that featured Floyd Landis, the initial winner of the 2006 Tour de France. After a meltdown in Stage 16, where he had lost ten minutes, Landis came back, superhumanly, if suspiciously in Stage 17 riding solo and passing his whole team...
during stage 17.
Until 2010, Landis maintained his innocence, and mounted a vigorous defense. Although Landis's legal team documented inconsistencies in the handling and evaluation of his urine samples, the disqualification was upheld.
He was suspended from professional competition through January 30, 2009, following an arbitration panel's 2-to-1 ruling on September 20, 2007. Landis appealed the result of the arbitration hearing to the Court of Arbitration for Sport
Court of Arbitration for Sport
The Court of Arbitration for Sport is an international arbitration body set up to settle disputes related to sport. Its headquarters are in Lausanne and its courts are located in New York, Sydney and Lausanne, Switzerland...
, which subsequently upheld the panel's ruling.
During the 2008 season, Landis worked as an advisor for Rock Racing
Rock Racing
Rock Racing is a cycling team founded in 2007 by Michael Ball. The team is affiliated with Ball's Rock & Republic clothing. Rock Racing received media attention for hiring outcasts in the sport, including those tainted by performance enhancing drug scandals...
. After completion of the suspension, Landis joined OUCH Pro Cycling Team. His first race following his suspension was the 2009 Tour of California
2009 Tour of California
The 2009 Amgen Tour of California was the 4th running of an annual cycling race contained within the state of California. The event was staged February 14–22 and began with a prologue in the state capital of Sacramento. The event was held as part of the schedule of both the UCI America Tour and USA...
, in which he finished 23rd out of a field of 84 riders. He parted ways with the OUCH team at the end of 2009. He then raced the Tour of Southland
Tour of Southland
The Tour of Southland is a road bicycle racing stage race held in the Southland Region of New Zealand. From 2005 until 2009, the Tour of Southland has been part of the UCI Oceania Tour however the 2010 event was held as a National Tour. The Tour is held annually in November. The race is organised...
in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
in November 2009 with local team CyclingNZshop.com-Bio Sport.
On May 20, 2010, after almost four years of contesting the allegations against him, Landis admitted to continual doping and alleged that Lance Armstrong
Lance Armstrong
Lance Edward Armstrong is an American former professional road racing cyclist who won the Tour de France a record seven consecutive times, after having survived testicular cancer. He is also the founder and chairman of the Lance Armstrong Foundation for cancer research and support...
and many other top riders who rode on his team doped as well. The admissions and accusations came in an e-mail Landis sent to cycling officials three weeks before it was leaked to the media. Landis is cooperating with Food and Drug Administration
Food and Drug Administration
The Food and Drug Administration is an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, one of the United States federal executive departments...
agent Jeff Novitzky
Jeff Novitzky
Jeff Novitzky is an agent for the Food and Drug Administration investigating the use of steroids in professional sports. Before April 2008 he was a special agent for the Internal Revenue Service who investigated the use of steroids for over five years...
.
In January 2011, Landis was unable to find a new team, and ended his professional career.
Biography
Floyd Landis is the second child and oldest son of Paul and Arlene Landis. His childhood home is located in the village of FarmersvilleFarmersville, Pennsylvania
Farmersville is a rural Mennonite settlement located southeast of the borough of Ephrata in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. It is an unincorporated locality located in West Earl Township, Pennsylvania. Farmersville is near no major roads, with the town being defined as around the intersection of...
in West Earl Township
West Earl Township, Pennsylvania
West Earl Township is a township in northeastern Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 6,766 at the 2000 census.Floyd Landis, winner of the 2006 Tour de France, is from the unincorporated village of Farmersville in West Earl Township.-Geography:According to the United...
, Lancaster County
Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
Lancaster County, known as the Garden Spot of America or Pennsylvania Dutch Country, is a county located in the southeastern part of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, in the United States. As of 2010 the population was 519,445. Lancaster County forms the Lancaster Metropolitan Statistical Area, the...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. He was raised in a devout Mennonite
Mennonite
The Mennonites are a group of Christian Anabaptist denominations named after the Frisian Menno Simons , who, through his writings, articulated and thereby formalized the teachings of earlier Swiss founders...
family and community.
Landis used his first bike to ride while out fishing with his best friend but quickly learned to enjoy riding for its own sake. At one point, he became determined to ride in a local race. Landis showed up wearing sweatpants because his religion forbade wearing shorts; he won anyway. More wins followed as Landis continued to enjoy the sport. Disturbed at his son's participation in what he considered a "useless" endeavor, Landis's father tried to discourage him from racing his bike by giving him extra chores. This left him no time to train during the day, so he would sneak out of the house at night to train, sometimes at 1 or 2 a.m. and often in the freezing cold. Landis's father, a devout Mennonite, received a tip that his son had been going out at night. He did not appreciate his son's passion for cycling and thought he might be getting into drugs or alcohol. He often followed Landis at a distance to make sure he was not getting into trouble. Today, Landis's father has become a hearty supporter of his son and considers himself one of Floyd's biggest fans.
"Master of the Mountains"
Landis won the first mountain bikeMountain bike
A mountain bike or mountain bicycle is a bicycle created for off-road cycling. This activity includes traversing of rocks and washouts, and steep declines,...
race he entered. In 1993, he was crowned U.S. junior national champion. He told friends he would win the Tour de France
Tour de France
The Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The...
one day. At age 20, Landis moved to Southern California
Southern California
Southern California is a megaregion, or megapolitan area, in the southern area of the U.S. state of California. Large urban areas include Greater Los Angeles and Greater San Diego. The urban area stretches along the coast from Ventura through the Southland and Inland Empire to San Diego...
to train full time as a mountain biker. He soon established a reputation for toughness, once finishing a race riding on only his rims. However, his training regimen resembled that of a road biker, and in 1999 he switched to road cycling.
Landis performed well enough on the road that Lance Armstrong
Lance Armstrong
Lance Edward Armstrong is an American former professional road racing cyclist who won the Tour de France a record seven consecutive times, after having survived testicular cancer. He is also the founder and chairman of the Lance Armstrong Foundation for cancer research and support...
recruited him to U.S. Postal and chose Landis to ride alongside him in three straight Tours de France (all of which Armstrong won) from 2002 to 2004. Landis often pushed the pace in the mountains to break the pack before Armstrong made his final move. In the 2004 tour, Landis led Armstrong and a few of Armstrong's main rivals over the final climb of stage 17, putting on such an impressive display of strength that comedian and avid bike-racing fan Robin Williams
Robin Williams
Robin McLaurin Williams is an American actor and comedian. Rising to fame with his role as the alien Mork in the TV series Mork and Mindy, and later stand-up comedy work, Williams has performed in many feature films since 1980. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance...
dubbed him the "Mofo of the Mountains". Landis' performance led some observers to peg him as a possible team leader and future winner of the maillot jaune. Landis left U.S. Postal later that year after receiving a better contract offer from the Phonak squad.
2005 Tour de France
The 2005 Tour de France was the 92nd Tour de France, taking place from July 2 to July 24, 2005. It comprised 21 stages over 3592.5 km, the winner's average speed was 41.654 km/h. The first stages were held in the département of the Vendée, for the third time in 12 years. The 2005 Tour was...
, Landis finished ninth overall in the General Classification
General Classification
The general classification in bicycle racing is the category that tracks overall times for bicycle riders in multi-stage bicycle races...
, his highest finish in the tour at that time.
Landis started the 2006 season strongly, with overall wins in the Amgen Tour of California
Amgen Tour of California
The Tour of California is an annual professional cycling stage race on the UCI America Tour and USA Cycling Professional Tour. It began on February 19, 2006. The eight-day race covers 650–700 miles through California...
, and then in the prestigious Paris–Nice, both week-long stage races. Winning Paris–Nice gave Landis 52 points in the UCI ProTour
UCI ProTour
The UCI ProTour was a series of road bicycle races in Europe, Australia and Canada organised by the UCI . Created by Hein Verbruggen, former president of the UCI, it comprises a number of 'ProTour' cycling teams, each of whom are required to compete in every round of the series...
individual competition, starting him off in first place for 2006. Landis continued his display of strength with another overall win in the Ford Tour de Georgia
Tour de Georgia 2006
The 2006 Tour de Georgia was a six-stage race held April 18 through April 23, 2006 with the overall title won by Floyd Landis of the . American Fred Rodriguez claimed the points jersey for sprinters. Jason McCartney won his second KOM crown; he previously won the 2004 climbers title. McCartney's...
, which took place from April 18 to April 23. In addition to winning the Tour de Georgia time trial, Landis managed to retain every second of his lead through the mountains with a close second place finish to Tom Danielson
Tom Danielson
Tom Danielson is a professional road racing cyclist. Previously riding for the Saturn Team on the U.S. Pro Circuit, and for Fassa Bortolo in Europe, Danielson is currently a member of , but rode for the Discovery Channel team between 2005 and 2007.Danielson currently holds the record for the...
on Brasstown Bald
Brasstown Bald
Brasstown Bald is the highest natural point in the state of Georgia, USA, with a summit elevation of 4,784 feet above mean sea level....
, the most difficult climbing stage of the tour.
Hip ailment
The powerful performance of Landis up to stage 16 of the Tour de France and his comeback in stage 17 is particularly notable given his hip ailment, osteonecrosis, which was revealed in an article in The New York TimesThe New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
during the 2006 Tour de France. This deterioration in the ball joint of his right hip stemmed from diminished blood supply and constricted blood vessels caused by scar tissue. The original injury that led to the formation of the scar tissue was a femoral neck fracture sustained in a bicycle crash during a training ride near his Southern California home in October 2002. Landis kept the ailment secret from his teammates, rivals, and the media until an announcement was made while the 2006 Tour was underway. This same ailment also affected former multi-sport athlete Bo Jackson
Bo Jackson
Vincent Edward "Bo" Jackson is a former American baseball and football player. He was the first athlete to be named an All-Star in two major American sports, and also won the Heisman Trophy in 1985....
and American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
player Brett Favre
Brett Favre
Brett Lorenzo Favre is a former American football quarterback who spent the majority of his career with the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League . He was a 20-year veteran of the NFL, having played quarterback for the Atlanta Falcons , Green Bay Packers , New York Jets and Minnesota...
.
Landis rode the 2006 Tour with the constant pain from the injury, which he described thus: "It's bad, it's grinding, it's bone rubbing on bone. Sometimes it's a sharp pain. When I pedal and walk, it comes and goes, but mostly it's an ache, like an arthritis pain. It aches down my leg into my knee. The morning is the best time, it doesn't hurt too much. But when I walk it hurts, when I ride it hurts. Most of the time it doesn't keep me awake, but there are nights that it does."
During the Tour, Landis was medically approved to take cortisone
Cortisone
Cortisone is a steroid hormone. It is one of the main hormones released by the adrenal gland in response to stress. In chemical structure, it is a corticosteroid closely related to corticosterone. It is used to treat a variety of ailments and can be administered intravenously, orally,...
for this injury, a medication otherwise prohibited in professional cycling for its known potential for abuse. Landis himself called his win "a triumph of persistence" despite the pain.
Landis underwent successful hip resurfacing
Hip resurfacing
Hip resurfacing has been developed as a surgical alternative to total hip replacement . The procedure consists of placing a cobalt-chrome metal cap, which is hollow and shaped like a mushroom, over the head of the femur while a matching metal cup is placed in the acetabulum , replacing the...
surgery on September 27, 2006, receiving a Smith and Nephew Birmingham metal-on-metal hip joint, a durable joint ideal for athletes, that had recently been approved by the U.S. FDA.
Doping case
On July 27, 2006, the Phonak Cycling Team announced a urine sample submitted by Floyd Landis tested positive for an unusually high ratio of the hormone testosterone to the hormone epitestosterone (T/E ratio) after his epic performance in stage 17 of the 2006 Tour de France. Landis denied doping and placed faith in a test using his backup sample. Phonak stated that he would be dismissed should the backup sample also test positive. It did, and Landis was suspended from professional cycling and dismissed from his team. Landis's personal physician later disclosed that the test had found a T/E ratio of 11:1 in Landis, far above the maximum allowable ratio of 4:1.The test on Landis's stage 17 A sample had been performed by the French government's anti-doping clinical laboratory, the National Laboratory for Doping Detection (LNDD). LNDD is a division of the Ministry of Youth, Sport, and Social Life and is accredited by WADA, the World Anti-Doping Agency
World Anti-Doping Agency
The World Anti-Doping Agency , , is an independent foundation created through a collective initiative led by the International Olympic Committee . It was set up on November 10, 1999 in Lausanne, Switzerland, as a result of what was called the "Declaration of Lausanne", to promote, coordinate and...
.
In early August, Landis was found guilty of doping and was disqualified. The second place rider, Óscar Pereiro, became the race's official winner. The decision of whether to strip Landis of his title was made by the International Cycling Union
Union Cycliste Internationale
Union Cycliste Internationale is the world governing body for sports cycling and oversees international competitive cycling events. The UCI is based in Aigle, Switzerland....
(UCI). Under UCI rules, the determination of whether a cyclist violated any rules must be made by the cyclist's national federation, in this case USA Cycling
USA Cycling
USA Cycling or USAC, based in Colorado Springs, Colorado, is the national governing body for bicycle racing in the United States. It covers the disciplines of road, track, mountain bike, cyclo-cross, BMX and collegiate racing...
, which transferred the case to the United States Anti-Doping Agency
United States Anti-Doping Agency
The United States Anti-Doping Agency , is a non-profit organization and the national anti-doping organization for the United States. The organization is charged with managing the anti-doping program for the U.S...
(USADA).
David Witt, a close personal friend who introduced Landis to his future wife (the daughter of Witt's then girlfriend and future wife), shot himself with a handgun in the North Park
North Park, San Diego, California
North Park is a neighborhood in San Diego, California, USA. It is situated to the northeast of Balboa Park, bounded on the north by the canyons overlooking Mission Valley, on the south by Switzer Canyon and the South Park neighborhood, on the east by Interstate 805 and City Heights, and on the...
community of San Diego on August 15, 2006.
Landis and Witt met as roommates in 1998 when Landis moved to San Diego. Witt and Landis shared the same cycling coach, and Witt was instrumental in Landis' transition from mountain biking
Mountain biking
Mountain biking is a sport which consists of riding bicycles off-road, often over rough terrain, using specially adapted mountain bikes. Mountain bikes share similarities with other bikes, but incorporate features designed to enhance durability and performance in rough terrain.Mountain biking can...
to road bicycle racing
Road bicycle racing
Road bicycle racing is a bicycle racing sport held on roads, using racing bicycles. The term "road racing" is usually applied to events where competing riders start simultaneously with the winner being the first to the line at the end of the course .Historically, the most...
. Witt and his wife attended the 2006 Tour de France
2006 Tour de France
The 2006 Tour de France was the 93rd Tour de France, taking place from July 1 to July 23, 2006. It was won by Óscar Pereiro following the disqualification of apparent winner Floyd Landis....
and were in Paris with Landis to celebrate his victory. Witt's North Park
North Park, San Diego, California
North Park is a neighborhood in San Diego, California, USA. It is situated to the northeast of Balboa Park, bounded on the north by the canyons overlooking Mission Valley, on the south by Switzer Canyon and the South Park neighborhood, on the east by Interstate 805 and City Heights, and on the...
restaurant was adorned with Landis memorabilia, including two of Landis' jerseys. The San Diego Union-Tribune reported that a Landis family spokesman read the following from a statement: “Floyd, Amber and the family are devastated by the news of David's death. They loved him dearly, and they miss him. [The Landises] hope their privacy is respected in this time of mourning." Many years later, Landis claimed that Witt may have killed himself because of his knowledge of Landis' doping practices. In a 2010 ESPN interview, Landis acknowledged that Witt knew about Landis' doping and said, "I'm not saying that's the reason he's dead, but without that, I don't see why he wouldn't still be here."
Even before the USADA's ruling on this matter, the controversy resulted in the disbandment of Landis's former team, Phonak.
On September 20, 2007, Landis was found guilty of doping by a 2–1 vote of the hearing committee, with Patrice Brunet and Richard McLaren in the majority, and Christopher Campbell dissenting. Landis was also banned from the sport for two years, dated retroactively to January 2007. Landis appealed the decision of the committee to the Court of Arbitration for Sport
Court of Arbitration for Sport
The Court of Arbitration for Sport is an international arbitration body set up to settle disputes related to sport. Its headquarters are in Lausanne and its courts are located in New York, Sydney and Lausanne, Switzerland...
(CAS). The hearing ran from March 19 to March 24, 2008 in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. The decision was announced on June 30, 2008, with the result that the conviction and ban were upheld. In September 2008 Landis moved in U.S. federal court to vacate the CAS arbitration award, contending that the procurement of the award was tainted by partiality and conflicts of interest. Additionally, Landis contested the $100,000 U.S. "costs" award, characterizing it as a disguised punitive award. The parties agreed to dismiss the case with prejudice in December 2008, finally ending the litigation surrounding the doping case.
On April 14, 2009, the French newspaper L'Express reported information that had been obtained from hacking into the French national laboratory for doping detection. The information was sent to a Canadian counterpart lab from a computer registered to Arnie Baker, Landis's ex-coach. On August 25, 2009, The New York Times reported, "No evidence has surfaced to connect Mr. Landis or Dr. Baker to the hacking, and each has denied any involvement." However, on February 15, 2010, it became known that a French judge issued an arrest warrant for Landis on the hacking charge in late January.
During 2006 and 2007, Landis is believed to have raised about $1 million from the “Floyd Fairness Fund." He appealed to supporters to donate "anything they could" to help him pay his reportedly $2 million legal bill, while vigorously denying his involvement in doping.
Return to cycling
After his two-year ban ended in early 2009, Landis returned to cycling with the OUCH Pro Cycling TeamOUCH Pro Cycling Team
UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team is a professional road bicycle racing team, run by Momentum Sports Group and based in the United States. The team is sponsored principally by UnitedHealth Group, and Maxxis...
, a U.S. team that races domestically. His first race following his suspension and his first race as a member of the OUCH team was the 2009 Tour of California
2009 Tour of California
The 2009 Amgen Tour of California was the 4th running of an annual cycling race contained within the state of California. The event was staged February 14–22 and began with a prologue in the state capital of Sacramento. The event was held as part of the schedule of both the UCI America Tour and USA...
, in which he finished 23rd out of a field of 84 riders. Landis parted ways amicably with the OUCH team at the end of 2009, stating he wished to ride the longer, tougher stage races offered in Europe and internationally that better suit his strengths. He then raced the Tour of Southland
Tour of Southland
The Tour of Southland is a road bicycle racing stage race held in the Southland Region of New Zealand. From 2005 until 2009, the Tour of Southland has been part of the UCI Oceania Tour however the 2010 event was held as a National Tour. The Tour is held annually in November. The race is organised...
in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
in November 2009 with local team CyclingNZshop.com-Bio Sport, finishing 17th overall out of a field of 95 riders. For the 2010 season, he joined the Bahati Foundation Cycling Team. However, after Landis admitted to doping himself and accused many other prominent American cyclist of doping (discussed below), the Bahati Team began to fall apart, and Landis competed in the July 2010 Cascade Cycling Classic in Bend, Oregon as a lone rider without a team.
Landis was unable to find a team in the next months, and in January 2011 decided to end his career.
2010 doping accusations and admissions
On May 20, 2010, midway through the 2010 Amgen Tour of California2010 Tour of California
The 2010 Tour of California was the fifth running of the Tour of California cycling stage race. It was held from May 16–23, and was the first edition of the race held in the month of May, after the first four occurred in February. It was rated as a 2.HC event on the UCI America Tour...
, The Wall Street Journal reported that Floyd Landis had sent a series of emails to senior cycling and anti-doping officials in which he admitted to doping from June 2002 through his victory in the 2006 Tour de France. It was also reported that Landis and his coach Dr. Brent Kay sent emails to Tour of California director Andrew Messick. Landis had asked Messick to be allowed last-minute entry to the 2010 race; when Messick refused, Landis released his allegations regarding cycling to the media. He furthermore accused several former teammates, including Lance Armstrong
Lance Armstrong
Lance Edward Armstrong is an American former professional road racing cyclist who won the Tour de France a record seven consecutive times, after having survived testicular cancer. He is also the founder and chairman of the Lance Armstrong Foundation for cancer research and support...
and George Hincapie
George Hincapie
George Hincapié Garcés is an American professional road bicycle racer currently riding for UCI ProTeam . Hincapie resides in Greenville, South Carolina...
, of using EPO and blood transfusions in the 2002 and 2003 seasons. Landis also claims there was blood doping at the 2004 Tour de France. Armstrong and Team RadioShack maintained that Landis and his coach had asked for a spot on Team RadioShack, and Landis only went public with the allegations after being denied a contract. Landis also alleged that he assisted Levi Leipheimer
Levi Leipheimer
Levi Leipheimer is an American professional road bicycle racer for UCI ProTour team . His major results are winning the 2007–2009 editions of the Tour of California, the 2006 Dauphiné Libéré and the 2005 Deutschland Tour, coming in second in the 2008 Vuelta a España, third in the 2001 Vuelta a...
and Dave Zabriskie in taking EPO before the Tour of California one year. In an ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
interview that day, Landis steadfastly denied that he had used synthetic testosterone during the 2006 Tour de France but admitted to illegally using human growth hormone and other doping modalities. The 2006 Tour de France was the only race to produce evidence Landis had ever used banned substances. Floyd Landis admitted that he had no physical evidence to support his allegations of others' involvement in doping, but that his emails were intended to "clear his conscience."
Landis also stated that Armstrong told him in 2002 that U.S. Postal Service Pro Cycling Team director Johan Bruyneel
Johan Bruyneel
Johan Bruyneel is a former road bicycle racer in professional cycling and a directeur sportif for UCI ProTour team . Retiring from racing in 1998, he became director of , a US-based UCI ProTour cycling team...
had made a "financial arrangement" with the International Cycling Union (UCI)
Union Cycliste Internationale
Union Cycliste Internationale is the world governing body for sports cycling and oversees international competitive cycling events. The UCI is based in Aigle, Switzerland....
to ensure that details of a positive test on Armstrong remained confidential. Pat McQuaid
Pat McQuaid
Patrick "Pat" McQuaid is a former Irish professional road racing cyclist and current president of the Union Cycliste Internationale .-Background:...
, the president of UCI
Union Cycliste Internationale
Union Cycliste Internationale is the world governing body for sports cycling and oversees international competitive cycling events. The UCI is based in Aigle, Switzerland....
, who had received copies of Landis' emails, said that Landis' allegations were "completely untrue", that Landis was "seeking revenge," and that UCI had "made contact with a lawyer and will take appropriate action."
Bruyneel, meanwhile, "absolutely den[ied] everything [Landis] said" and noted that several people "have had the story for a few weeks but didn’t give it any credibility" and that Landis was "angry at the world" for the collapse of his career following his conviction. Olympic medalist Steve Hegg said he felt "betrayed" and "deceived" and characterized Landis as "a bitter guy." Noted pro David Millar
David Millar
David Millar is a British road racing cyclist riding for . He has won three stages of the Tour de France, two of the Vuelta a España and one Stage of the Giro d'Italia. He was the British national road champion and the national time trial champion, both in 2007...
, who served a two-year suspension for EPO doping from 2004 to 2006 and is on the 2010 Garmin-Transitions team, said: "If [Landis] had stood up and manned up four years ago, he'd be racing the Tour de France now. He'd have a different book out. He'd have not lost a penny. He'd be admired by young people. He would have a different life ahead of him..."
Both the World Anti-Doping Agency and the U.S. government are investigating Landis' accusations. In a sign that the U.S. Justice Department is pursuing a serious inquiry, the case investigation is being led by Jeff Novitzky
Jeff Novitzky
Jeff Novitzky is an agent for the Food and Drug Administration investigating the use of steroids in professional sports. Before April 2008 he was a special agent for the Internal Revenue Service who investigated the use of steroids for over five years...
, a special agent with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and Doug Miller, an experienced federal prosecutor, both of whom were part of the BALCO
Balco
Balco can refer to:* the Bay Area Laboratory Co-operative - a controversial sports medicine/nutrition centre in Burlingame, California.* Balco balcony systems who develops, designs and manufactures balcony systems and glazing solutions....
investigative team.
Post-cycling career
In July 2011, Landis gave an interview to Graham BensingerGraham Bensinger
Graham Bensinger is an American television personality.On his series "In Depth with Graham Bensinger," Bensinger brings viewers exclusive interviews with the sports industry’s biggest names...
in which he described his plans and training to race professionally in NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
.
In November 2011, Landis and his former coach, Arnie Baker
Arnie Baker
Arnie Baker is a bicycle coach, racer, and writer.He has coached road and mountain bike racers to several Olympic Games, more than 120 U.S. National Championships and 40 U.S. records...
, were convicted of "benefiting from" hacking into the computers of the Chatenay-Malabry
Châtenay-Malabry
Châtenay-Malabry is a commune in the southwestern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located 10.8 km from the center of Paris.The commune includes the valley la vallée aux loups with green forests and pretty houses including the estate of French writer Chateaubriand. It also includes the Butte...
anti-doping lab. Both received 12-month suspended sentences.
Major results
1999 – Mercury Pro Cycling Team- 2nd overall and 1 stage win – Cascade Classic
2000 – Mercury Pro Cycling Team
- Overall – Tour du Poitou-CharentesTour du Poitou-CharentesTour du Poitou-Charentes is a road bicycle race held annually in the region of Poitou-Charentes, France. It was first held in 1987 and since 2005 it has been organised as a 2.1 event on the UCI Europe Tour.-Winners:...
2001 – Mercury Pro Cycling Team
- Boulevard Road Race
2002 – U.S. Postal Service
- 2nd overall – Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré
- 3rd stage, Tirreno–Adriatico
- 61st overall – Tour de France2002 Tour de FranceThe 2002 Tour de France started in Luxembourg on July 6, 2002, and ended in Paris on July 28. France was visited counter-clockwise, so the Pyrenees were there before the Alps...
2003 – U.S. Postal Service
- 77th overall – Tour de France2003 Tour de FranceThe 2003 Tour de France started and ended in Paris. Lasting from July 5 to July 27 the race covered 3,427.5 km , proceeding clockwise in twenty stages around France, including six major mountain stages...
2004 – U.S. Postal Service
- Overall – Volta ao AlgarveVolta ao AlgarveThe Volta ao Algarve is a road bicycle racing stage race held annually in the Algarve, Portugal. Since 2005, it has been organised as a 2.1 event on the UCI Europe Tour. Due to its early February position in the European calendar, it is used by many riders to prepare for the Spring...
- Stage 5 – Volta ao Algarve
- Team time trialTeam time trialA team time trial is a road-based bicycle race in which teams of cyclists race against the clock .Teams start at equal intervals, usually two, three or four minutes apart...
– Tour de France2004 Tour de FranceThe 2004 Tour de France was the 91st, taking place from July 3 to July 25, 2004. It consisted of 20 stages over 3391 km.Lance Armstrong became the first to win six Tours de France. Armstrong had been favored to win, his competitors seen as being German Jan Ullrich, Spaniards Roberto Heras and... - Team time trialTeam time trialA team time trial is a road-based bicycle race in which teams of cyclists race against the clock .Teams start at equal intervals, usually two, three or four minutes apart...
– Vuelta a EspañaVuelta a EspañaThe Vuelta a España is a three-week road bicycle racing stage race that is one of the three "Grand Tours" of Europe and part of the UCI World Ranking calendar. The race lasts three weeks and attracts cyclists from around the world. The race is broken into day-long segments, called stages... - 23rd overall – Tour de France2004 Tour de FranceThe 2004 Tour de France was the 91st, taking place from July 3 to July 25, 2004. It consisted of 20 stages over 3391 km.Lance Armstrong became the first to win six Tours de France. Armstrong had been favored to win, his competitors seen as being German Jan Ullrich, Spaniards Roberto Heras and...
2005 – Phonak Hearing Systems
- 3rd overall and Stage 3 win – Tour de GeorgiaTour de Georgia 2005The 2005 Tour de Georgia was the third annual bicycle road racing event held in the state of Georgia, United States. The six-day, six stage 550 mile race was held April 19 through April 24, 2004 with the overall title and yellow jersey won by Tom Danielson of the .New Zealander Greg Henderson ...
- 9th overall – Tour de France2005 Tour de FranceThe 2005 Tour de France was the 92nd Tour de France, taking place from July 2 to July 24, 2005. It comprised 21 stages over 3592.5 km, the winner's average speed was 41.654 km/h. The first stages were held in the département of the Vendée, for the third time in 12 years. The 2005 Tour was...
2006 – Phonak Hearing Systems
Phonak (cycling team)
Phonak was a Swiss professional cycling team from 2000 until 2006. The team was one of 20 teams in the first UCI ProTour in 2005...
- 1st, Profronde van Stiphout
- Disqualified – Tour de France2006 Tour de FranceThe 2006 Tour de France was the 93rd Tour de France, taking place from July 1 to July 23, 2006. It was won by Óscar Pereiro following the disqualification of apparent winner Floyd Landis....
(all results vacated)- Yellow jersey, General ClassificationGeneral ClassificationThe general classification in bicycle racing is the category that tracks overall times for bicycle riders in multi-stage bicycle races...
leader during Stages 12, 13, 16 and 20. - 1st, Stage 17 (voted most combative rider of the day)
- Yellow jersey, General Classification
- 1st, USA Cycling National Racing CalendarUSA Cycling National Racing CalendarThe USA Cycling National Racing Calendar is an annual competition of road bicycle racing events held in the United States and sponsored by USA Cycling. The NRC includes a men's and women's individual and team rankings based on points awarded at the events...
series - 1st overall – Tour de GeorgiaTour de Georgia 2006The 2006 Tour de Georgia was a six-stage race held April 18 through April 23, 2006 with the overall title won by Floyd Landis of the . American Fred Rodriguez claimed the points jersey for sprinters. Jason McCartney won his second KOM crown; he previously won the 2004 climbers title. McCartney's...
- 1st, Stage 3 (ITTIndividual time trialAn individual time trial is a road bicycle race in which cyclists race alone against the clock . There are also track-based time trials where riders compete in velodromes, and team time trials...
) – Tour de Georgia
- 1st, Stage 3 (ITT
- 1st overall – Paris–Nice
- 1st overall – Tour of California
- 1st, Stage 3 (ITT) – Tour of California
2009 – OUCH Pro Cycling Team
OUCH Pro Cycling Team
UnitedHealthcare Pro Cycling Team is a professional road bicycle racing team, run by Momentum Sports Group and based in the United States. The team is sponsored principally by UnitedHealth Group, and Maxxis...
- 23rd overall – Tour of California2009 Tour of CaliforniaThe 2009 Amgen Tour of California was the 4th running of an annual cycling race contained within the state of California. The event was staged February 14–22 and began with a prologue in the state capital of Sacramento. The event was held as part of the schedule of both the UCI America Tour and USA...
- 41st overall – Nature Valley Grand PrixNature Valley Grand PrixNature Valley Grand Prix is a men's and women's road bicycle racing stage race held each June in Minnesota, United States, as part of the Nature Valley Bicycle Festival. An event was added in Menomonie, Wisconsin in 2010...
- 45th overall – Tour of Missouri2009 Tour of MissouriThe 2009 Tour of Missouri was the third annual edition of a professional road bicycle racing stage race held in Missouri. It began on September 7, 2009 with seven days of racing. The Tour of Missouri is considered the second highest profile domestic race in the United States this year, bettered...
2010 – Bahati Foundation
- Tour of the Bahamas – ITT – Lap record
- 2nd – Tour of the Battenkill
Grand Tours overall classification results timeline
| Grand Tour | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Tour de France The Tour de France is an annual bicycle race held in France and nearby countries. First staged in 1903, the race covers more than and lasts three weeks. As the best known and most prestigious of cycling's three "Grand Tours", the Tour de France attracts riders and teams from around the world. The... |
61 2002 Tour de France The 2002 Tour de France started in Luxembourg on July 6, 2002, and ended in Paris on July 28. France was visited counter-clockwise, so the Pyrenees were there before the Alps... |
77 2003 Tour de France The 2003 Tour de France started and ended in Paris. Lasting from July 5 to July 27 the race covered 3,427.5 km , proceeding clockwise in twenty stages around France, including six major mountain stages... |
23 2004 Tour de France The 2004 Tour de France was the 91st, taking place from July 3 to July 25, 2004. It consisted of 20 stages over 3391 km.Lance Armstrong became the first to win six Tours de France. Armstrong had been favored to win, his competitors seen as being German Jan Ullrich, Spaniards Roberto Heras and... |
9 2005 Tour de France The 2005 Tour de France was the 92nd Tour de France, taking place from July 2 to July 24, 2005. It comprised 21 stages over 3592.5 km, the winner's average speed was 41.654 km/h. The first stages were held in the département of the Vendée, for the third time in 12 years. The 2005 Tour was... |
DQ 2006 Tour de France The 2006 Tour de France was the 93rd Tour de France, taking place from July 1 to July 23, 2006. It was won by Óscar Pereiro following the disqualification of apparent winner Floyd Landis.... |
 Vuelta a España The Vuelta a España is a three-week road bicycle racing stage race that is one of the three "Grand Tours" of Europe and part of the UCI World Ranking calendar. The race lasts three weeks and attracts cyclists from around the world. The race is broken into day-long segments, called stages... |
- 2002 Vuelta a España The 57th Vuelta a España , a long-distance bicycle stage race and one of the 3 grand tours, was held from September 7 to September 29, 2002... |
76 2003 Vuelta a España The 58th Vuelta a España , a long-distance bicycle stage race and one of the 3 grand tours, was held from September 6 to September 28, 2003... |
WD 2004 Vuelta a España The 59th Vuelta a España , a long-distance bicycle stage race and one of the 3 grand tours, was held from September 4 to September 26, 2004... |
WD | - |
WD = Withdrew
DQ = Disqualified
External links
- WADA Memo on Landis Decision July 9, 2008
- Trust But Verify: News, Research and Commentary about the Floyd Landis doping allegations.
- Detecting doping in sports
- False-Positive T/E and CIR Results: Floyd Landis, Mennonites, & Sitosterolemia
- The Floyd Landis Sports Doping Case: As Seen Through the Eyes of a Mythical ASCLDLab Inspector