More ridiculous news from the cycling world. Floyd Landis came out this weekend with a tv special showing the cyclist, in his modest mansion, showing off his Tour de France shirt and blaming the lab for his doping results. Seriously, I find it unconvincing that his sole recourse is to blame an internationally reknowned lab which produced the same results, excessive testosterone, in BOTH blood samples.

Just to recap, Landis was found to have tested positive for testosterone during his infamous climb in the Morzine. The laboratory in question is the LNDD, le laboratoire national de dépistage du dopage, in Châtenay-Malabry, the same national laboratory which has tested all samples from the last few Tours de France. It is a internationally reknowned laboratory and is approved by both the Olympic and WADA. (World Anti-Doping Association) Landis, the Mormon, eeks Mennonnite, bike champion, was hailed briefly as a hero before being villified in both French and English press.

But, in yet another strange twist, the laboratory reported to the police last Tuesday that it had been victim to a hacking incident. Someone had hacked into their computer system and sent false emails to the major doping agencies in the world, the UCI, the WADA, the CIO, reporting that the laboratory had made a series of systematic errors. Apparently, the email was written in french and was riddled with both grammatical and spelling mistakes. The police have already tracked one of the perpertrators down and it turns out to be none other than someone close to (more…)

Did he cheat? Could be. Could be not. Couldn’t say for sure. Bad hip, legendary ride, Mennonite parents, nice guy. Somehow it doesn’t seem to add up. But then, neither did Tyler Hamilton. Still though, he must have known he’d be caught, if he had done it. So the question is: either Floyd Landis is the dumbest cheater in the history of sports, or he’s telling the truth? People are innocent until proven guilty, regardless of what the media thinks. Please, say it ain’t so Flo.

“Only 49 weeks left to kill before the Tour de France.” -E. Lautreamont yesterday

Landis and the Phonak boys on his Lap of Glory

Contrary to a former opinion, the Tour de France 2006 was not such a snore-fest after all. Granted the first two weeks were remarkably empty of drama, but the last week has more than made up for it. Seeing Floyd Landis first self-destruct, then rebirth himself the day after, was probably the most dramatic two days of the Tour I have ever witnessed. After all, it’s quite something to drop ten minutes one day, then take the Tour back after a 130km breakaway in the Alps. That’s a show of defiance and panache that surely makes him a worthy champion. Today was only his confirmation.

Other notes: Andreas Kloden’s remarkable time trial performance was probably part of the Pyrrhic victory for T-Mobile today. Despite Honchar’s stage win, the T-Mobile team continued to demonstrate throughout this Tour how poor tactical management can cost you a Tour. (more…)

I’m so sorry for having said all those wretched things about Floyd Landis. Yesterday, he certainly showed me some pain by faltering dramatically in the mountains. It was a terrible sight to see. Our little Mennonite churning the peddles slowly as all the other slaves chippered by, staring at the king in ruins. He had what the french cycling buddies call, a "fringale," a special kind of energy deficit you get if you don’t eat enough while riding. Horrible. I hate being hungry too. At least the "chicken," Michael Rasmussen, who owes that nickname more to appearance than to anything testicle-related, won the stage with great panache. Other winners of the Nardac Panache award are Carlos Sastre, for taking the initiative and exploding the peloton on the last climb, Axel Mercx, for sacrificing himself for his leader Landis throughout this most gruesome day, and finally Christophe Moreau, for also sacrificing himself for Cyril Dessel. Dessel looks prime to seize a spot in the top five, and perhaps the podium, if surprises are the name of this Tour.

Finally, my predictions for the Tour 2006: 1. Sastre 2. Pereiro 3. Kloden (revised after today’s stage to 1. Landis 2. Sastre 3. Pereiro).

Look for the time trials on Saturday to push Sastre over Pereiro, and the CSC to attempt something tricky on the HC climbs today. I think I’m in love with Bjarn Riis and his tricky domed head.

In other sports-related news, (more…)

Imagine a television show like Lost. You have your favourite characters Kate, Sawyer, Jack and Locke. It’s still an ensemble cast but I think we can all agree that the show would be bereft without those four. Well, imagine that Jack gets off the island. Then, suddenly without warning, Sawyer and Locke are killed off the show. Then Kate falls over a can of peanut butter and goes into a coma. What are you going to do? Still keep watching a bunch of losers stuck on an island? That’s the Tour de France these days.
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