[Update] Phonak press release: it was Landis (new title)

by 100kg on Jul 27, 2006 6:08 AM EDT

26/07/2006: Press release : An adverse analytical finding on the Tour de France
The UCI received today a report of the anti-doping laboratory of Paris stating an adverse analytical finding following an anti-doping test carried out at the Tour de France 2006.
As foreseen by the World Anti-doping Code and the UCI Anti-doping Rules, the team of the rider, its National Federation, its national anti-doping organisation and the World Anti-Doping Agency have been immediately informed....

UCI link

Meanwhile Floyd Landis has gone awol:

"The American dropped the Acht van Chaam in Holland yesterday. Today he was to race in the danish race Grand Prix Jyske Bank, but he is apparently not starting.

"It is with great sorrow that we must announce that Floyd Landis likely will not start the race in Silkeborg. Our dutch partner Cycling Service has informed us that we cannot expect that the american Tour-winner will be on SK1245-flight, which lands in Tirstrup at 10.20 AM", according to the arranger's press release.

The danish paper Ekstrabladet claims that the positive test is from July 20, the day Landis stunned the world with his comeback stage. They also claim that the positive test is his.

Ekstrabladet asked irish president Pat McQuaid of the UCI if Landis is the new suspect. He is quoted as saying:

"I cannot reveal that. But I can say that this case infuriates me. The integrity of cycling is under threat."

[Update]: TV2.dk are reporting a Phonak press release confirming that it was indeed Floyd Landis.

"Phonak Cycling Team blev i g?r infor?meret af UCI om et us?dvanligt h?jt niveau af testosteron/epitestosteron i den test, der blev afgivet af Floyd Landis efter 17. etape af Tour de Fran?ce," lyder det i holdets pressemeddel?else.

Translation: "Phonak Cycling team was informed yesterday by UCI about an unusually high level of testosteron/epitestosteron in the test of Floyd Landis after the 17th stage of the Tour de France", to quote the team press release.

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Comments

what's the source

of the second piece?

by Chris Fontecchio on Jul 27, 2006 7:09 AM EDT reply actions

Scandinavian press

I skimmed norwegian and danish papers. Main sources vg.no and ekstrabladet.dk

Ekstrabladet are saying that Phonak has confirmed that it is indeed Landis.

by 100kg on Jul 27, 2006 10:12 AM EDT up reply actions

btw

All quotes in original post are translated from Norwegian and Danish by yours truly.

by 100kg on Jul 27, 2006 10:15 AM EDT up reply actions

countries currently denying they've been contacted

Assuming they aren't lying, one could assume the rider isn't from their country. I don't know what the odds of that are one way or the other.

US
Belgium
Germany
France
Italy
Spain
Australia (pretty sure, I couldn't find again the article I saw it in)

No comment yet apparently from (looking at riders high on GC - top 15 or so - which is the widespread assumption): Russia, Germany, Luxembourg, Netherlands

by Comma Sutra on Jul 27, 2006 9:15 AM EDT reply actions

duh

I have Germany on both lists. :-( Morning, lack-of-coffee-induced dumbassness.

by Comma Sutra on Jul 27, 2006 9:18 AM EDT up reply actions

I believe CN

had the article with Australia denying it.

by Drew on Jul 27, 2006 9:17 AM EDT reply actions

Probably not a high-profile guy

As we saw with Heras, Gonzalez, Hamilton, Lance's pee from 1999 and pretty much any other case where a big name comes up dirty, the UCI cannot keep a secret to save its life. We would have gotten a name as soon as the story broke if it were someone important.

-Cosmo http://cyclocosm.com

by Cosmo on Jul 27, 2006 9:20 AM EDT reply actions

Though also...

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,28910-2287959,00.html This says "high-profile". But then again, a secular publication such as the times may define "high-profile" differently than we fanatics. This article also claims Floyd bailed on the crits citing pain in his hip.

-Cosmo http://cyclocosm.com

by Cosmo on Jul 27, 2006 9:26 AM EDT up reply actions

It well could be his hip

He's said before that it bothers him most when he's sprinting and that's what crits are all about.

by Drew on Jul 27, 2006 9:32 AM EDT up reply actions

I just can't stop talking

My guess is Gonchar. Nothing against him, but a 36 year old coming out of nowhere to win both Tour TTs? By almost a minute? True, former World TT Champ but that was like half a decade ago.

-Cosmo http://cyclocosm.com

by Cosmo on Jul 27, 2006 9:37 AM EDT up reply actions

Since we're guessing

it's a pretty good guess.

But I saw a report earlier that said the failed test occured after stage 17. Since the yellow jersey, stage winner, and one other random rider get tested that cuts down the odds a bit on who it might be - if that bit of information about the stage # is accurate.

by Drew on Jul 27, 2006 9:41 AM EDT up reply actions

My mistake

2 random riders per stage as well as 2 reserves.

by Drew on Jul 27, 2006 9:43 AM EDT up reply actions

That

would leave leave Thor, Landis, Honchar & Tosatto as the winners of the last 4 stages.

by Clydesdale on Jul 27, 2006 9:45 AM EDT up reply actions

and

Pereiro

by Clydesdale on Jul 27, 2006 9:45 AM EDT up reply actions

OK, since we're guessing

I like guessing games. I guess Christophe Moreau, even though the French say they weren't contacted. Let it be Christophe Moreau. That way nobody will be very upset.

by bethie on Jul 27, 2006 9:46 AM EDT up reply actions

Ok Following the

rumor mill and seeing that the US Federation is saying that they have not been contacted my first thought would be....What would upset Floyd enough to cancel a race?? Other than his hip is really acting up, the only thing that comes to mind is that the positive is from a close friend of his who is also high up on the GC list, O.P. If this turns out to be true then I will be almost as upset as if it were Floyd. I really was starting to like the guy. I hope it is not!!

by Clydesdale on Jul 27, 2006 9:29 AM EDT reply actions

Rumors ad infinitum...

Someone posted over on TdeFBlog that Kloden has also just cancelled a post-Tour race ...

Here's the link to the AP article as published in the NY Times ...

Tour Cyclist Yields ...

Does anyone else get the feeling that Euro sports journalists want so badly for the positive rider to be Landis? Hmm ...

Also, can anyone comment on this? I recall reading somewhere that Tour organizers test the three podium finishers as well as 6 to 8 riders at random. Are those numbers accurate?

---J

by 72andSunny on Jul 27, 2006 10:14 AM EDT reply actions

I should also say

that VeloNews reported that German cycling officials reported they had not been contacted, which means Kloden is (hopefully) not the rider who tested positive.

I just mentioned that he had reportedly cancelled a race because hey, sometimes guys cancel races---like, for example, if they have an osteonecrotic hip and an upcoming appearance on the Letterman show.

Can you tell that I don't want the positive rider to be Floyd?

---J

by 72andSunny on Jul 27, 2006 10:19 AM EDT up reply actions