[maine-iac7]

someone or group who wanted to discredit him

I thought the same on day one

[jess35]

I find it odd that the other 4 days he was tested, nothing was amiss. I don't trust the French and if I were Landis, I'd demand the "B" sample be tested by a different lab in another country. None of this should ever have been disclosed until both samples were tested but the lab and the ICU have been running to the media with this story. That makes this extremely suspect.

[airborne]

I wouldn't put it past the 'F'ing French.

[who_would_fardels_bear]

Does anyone know how you take in testosterone if you are cheating? Can you drink it or do you have to inject it?

If it can be ingested through drinking then maybe someone spiked his Jack, but if it had to be injected then ...

[Dysart]

Report: Synthetic testosterone found in Landis urine sample

[Leto]

There were a couple of things that didn't make sense to em. EPO whihc enhances oxygen uptake has been the drug of choice for cyclist. I don't know what testorone would do for Landis in an Alpine Stage?

He was tested each day he had the Yellow Jersey. That is SOP at the Tour. So this doesn't make sense. I understand the level of testosterone wasn't unusally high but the ratio of testosterone to episterone (SP?), that was the issue. Have to let the medical guys sort this one out.

[Cobra64]

[stinkerpot65]

In the A320 crash of 1988, the French switched the data recorder box to blame the pilot. The French are notoriously corrupt and you can certainly assume they would spike both of the samples.

[RepoGirl]

I hate to entertain an idea like that, but I also hate to entertain the idea of Floyd doping.

Somethings don't make sense -- with all the rigid testing, and all of the other riders being dumped before the tour started (like my hearthrob Basso, Hamilton and Kinsman Ullrich) it just doesn't make sense that Landis would slip through testing.

And doesn't something like testosterone take weeks to show up? It's not like one of those injected super 'roids.

My background is in body building (I'm new to endurance sports), so I don't really know what they'd use in cycling, since the objectives are different--you want aerobic capacity and speed, not mass.

I hate to say it, but I think its entirely possible he's being set-up. I think the French are still embarrassed after the Olympics debacle a few years ago, and can't stand the idea of another American (and one with a bum hip) beating their useless asses in their own sport.

For people who know more about juicing than I do, is it possible he could take something after stage 17 that would improve his performance so dramatically?

[gopwinsin04]

I wouldn't take 4 whiskeys from a French frog!

[Steve_Seattle]

For the conspiracy-minded, here are a few more items regarding Landis's 2006 TDF:

1. Just prior to his first time trial, one of the tires on his bike was founded to have a "cut." Landis noticed this just by happenstance, and a last-minute repair caused him to be a few seconds late at the starting line.

2. In another stage, his bike suffered another mechanical breakdown, with the steering, I think.

3. In yet another stage - during his big comeback run - he had yet a third problem with his bike - failed spokes, I believe it was - that caused him to trade wheels or bikes with a teammate.

4. Even though his bike had been ok'd by race officials in previous races, TDF officials made Landis change the configuration on his handlebars prior to the final time trial.

Then, on top of these potentially catastrophic bike failures and administrative nitpicking, he had the myserious and inexplicable positive test for excessive testosterone, discovered in a French lab and leaked to Le Equipe.

Was someone trying to sabotage Landis from the get-go? Yes, problems with bikes are common in the TDF, but Landis seemed to have an unusually large number of problems. And my pre-race reading of the modern history of the TDF made me realize just how strongly American success was resented in some European quarters.

[jern]

no, he is a doper. the only thing that failed him was his masking agent

[theFIRMbss]

>Me think the culprit in this scandal isn’t Landis, but someone or group who wanted to discredit him and bring shame to American cyclists. This is the only motive and explanation that makes any sense.

That's it! You've nailed it! It was those damn aliens! When they kidnapped him for his anal probe the night before the race, they must have injected the testosterone! THEY have a PLAN! It's all part of THEIR agenda . . .