Lance may return to Tour de France in '06, "just to piss them off."

Geowhizzer · July 28, 2006, 07:39:10 AM

My question is: If there is a mechanism for a second test to verify, why has this already been publicly announced? Shouldn't it wait until after the 2nd test?

A guy being interviewed on PTI yesterday said that Landis was taking cortisone and something else for his hip (with the knowledge of the Tour's governing body), and was speculating that these could have caused the difference in the levels that were on the test.

Any doctors in the house? Is that explanation feasible?

Diomedes · July 28, 2006, 08:04:03 AM

I'm a doctor. Yeah, it's feasible.

Wingspan · July 28, 2006, 10:14:11 AM

there was a cycling analyst on 950 Am last night talking about the cortisone thing too...he also mentioned that beer could also do this...which this guy did drink while the race was going on.

he also said that this was a very interpretive test. not a black and whit issue like if it had been a masking agent, blood doping, or some other drug.

i couldnt care less either way what happens to this guy or the tour de france...i am just passing along what i heard on the radio last night.

QB Eagles · July 28, 2006, 08:34:39 PM

I can't see this dispute ending in a conclusive way at all. Looks like a cloud of uncertainty is destined to hang over this Tour forever. That's a shame because it really was a compelling race this time.

Is it possible the test returned a false positive for any of a variety of reasons? Yes.
Is it possible Floyd Landis used an illegal performance enhancing technique? Yes.

No matter how many tests Landis has in the future, the only evidence of what his body was like on the day of Stage 17 is in those two samples. If those samples have chemical levels that exceed what is permissible by the rules of the Tour, I don't see any way that can be possibly overturned.

Geowhizzer · July 28, 2006, 08:40:32 PM

The ESPN analyst said that the test didn't show that there was a high amount of testosterone in the system; actually, there was a LOW level of epitestosterone (you medical types can correct my spelling, as I don't feel like looking it up). He seemed fairly certain that Landis would be exonerated.

I agree with QB, though- at this point the horse is out of the barn. The only conclusive way at all to end it is to come up with hardcore evidence that Landis was doping. Anything else will leave too many questions unanswered.

QB Eagles · July 28, 2006, 08:42:48 PM

Quote from: Geowhizzer on July 28, 2006, 07:39:10 AM
My question is: If there is a mechanism for a second test to verify, why has this already been publicly announced? Shouldn't it wait until after the 2nd test?

It was publicly announced by his team, Phonak, not by the Tour de France. Apparently Phonak has a policy of suspending riders who test positive in any test, and I'm guessing they wanted to explain to the media why they decided to suspend the winner of the Tour de France.

PoopyfaceMcGee · August 01, 2006, 07:27:07 AM

Synthetic testosterone? This Landis guy is farged.

Susquehanna Birder · August 01, 2006, 10:15:35 AM

From my understanding, using testosterone - even the synthetic kind - doesn't provide an immediate benefit. It's something that you take for weeks, months, or years ahead of time...not on the last couple days of a race. Showing up with clean tests for 2/3 of a race and then having a positive test for testosterone doesn't make sense.

Either Landis is incredibly stupid, there is an error with the testing, or somebody spiked his test. Or maybe he just forgot to load his Whizzinator with the clean stuff.

PoopyfaceMcGee · August 01, 2006, 10:25:37 AM

Quote from: Susquehanna Birder on August 01, 2006, 10:15:35 AM
somebody spiked his test

Well, the French do hate us. But still... That's like saying Mark Fuhrman planted O.J.'s glove.

Geowhizzer · August 01, 2006, 05:01:28 PM

If the Whizzenator doesn't fit...

QB Eagles · August 01, 2006, 06:46:34 PM

Quote from: FFatPatt on August 01, 2006, 07:27:07 AM
Synthetic testosterone? This Landis guy is farged.

Yep. He cheated. Show's over.

PoopyfaceMcGee · August 01, 2006, 08:13:22 PM

My buddy's mom (a Mennonite from the same area) goes to the same church as the Landis's. The inside scoop is that they absolutely trust that there is no wrongdoing there, except by the Frenchies testing the sample.

Oh well. Either way, he's farged.

Diomedes · August 01, 2006, 08:27:08 PM

Quote from: FFatPatt on August 01, 2006, 08:13:22 PMMy buddy's mom (a Mennonite from the same area) goes to the same church as the Landis's. The inside scoop is that they absolutely trust that there is no wrongdoing there, except by the Frenchies testing the sample.

I totally care about what your buddy's religious whacko mom "absolutely trusts."

PoopyfaceMcGee · August 01, 2006, 08:44:57 PM

At least she's not a Scientologist.

Drunkmasterflex · August 01, 2006, 09:19:31 PM

Quote from: Diomedes on August 01, 2006, 08:27:08 PM
Quote from: FFatPatt on August 01, 2006, 08:13:22 PMMy buddy's mom (a Mennonite from the same area) goes to the same church as the Landis's. The inside scoop is that they absolutely trust that there is no wrongdoing there, except by the Frenchies testing the sample.

I totally care about what your buddy's religious whacko mom "absolutely trusts."

Oh and they are whacko, trust me I am from that area. On the other hand most of "those people" tend to be extremely honest and hard working. It is difficult for me to believe that this guy cheated.