Phonak’s disbanding after this year. An open letter from Floyd Landis:
While the recent allegations against me hurt us all, I respect the fact that the Phonak team must follow its own rules and charter under these circumstances. I just wish that all the parties involved would do the same. Despite this, I will not relent on my pursuit of the truth. I will not shy away from this fight.
Most of all, I understand that this situation impacts families and friends other than my own. It affects the businesses and sponsors that support cycling as well as the sport itself. It is for this reason that I am determined to show that I followed the rules and won fairly and cleanly. There is a greater integrity at stake here than just my own.
I thank you all for your support and courage as I embark on this journey to restore my name, the team’s name and the image of cycling.
Jimminy Christmas. I’ve sat here looking at this for like 10 minutes, and cannot think a coherent thought on the whole subject.
If Floyd’s lying, well, he’s a dirtbag of the highest rank.
If he’s telling the truth, and the lab, or the Societie de Tour de France is trying to frame him, then the UCI, the WADA, the ACA – the whole organization is crooked, and what’s the freakin’ point?
Hey Jane! How do I get offa this crazy thing…
<snare>
called
<snare>
Life?
<Cue soprano sax and standing bass; blow out candle, tilt hat down on nose, take deep drag on unfiltered Camel, and Exit Stage Left>
Same thoughts here.
I’m burned out on following the pros.
Just got back from Borders last night were they still had the copy of Velo News with Floyd on the cover in all his pre-doping glory.
one of the tdf bloggers brings up something interesting that the media continues to ignore an that is that his testosterone levels were completely normal, not elevated. it was his low epitestosterone levels that made the ratio 11:1.
i don’t doubt floyd.
You know I have heard a ton of evidence and speculation both ways. I am a Canadian (this will be relevant in a minute) and I have watched the Pro’s for a long time. I love cycling in all its forms! I love the Pro Tours! It saddens me to see scandal after scandal. My favorite cyclist is Ivan Basso. I was waiting with anticipation for this years Tour de France to see how he was going to preform. I was waiting to see Jan Ulrich get his butt handed to him. I wanted to see Tyler Hamilton back. In the end I wanted to see Floyd do it because of his bum hip, knowing that this was probably going to be his last Tour as a pro. I actually do believe Floyd. I am sure it is a game between the cyclists and the testing agencies to see how one can out do the other. I believe Floyd!!! It is not like they showed doping, they simply showed a low ratio of epitestosterone. In my humble opinion the European Cycling community can not handle another “stinking” American to walk away with their prize held high in triumph. The same reason that the same lab reported that Lance was doping! It was the same Lab! It comes at a time in world politics where the French and the Americans are at odds with how the world should be run. France looking at the US like a bunch of uncivilized Neanderthals (All the while detonating dangerous and very toxic Nuclear weapons under the ocean). Like I said earlier I am a Canadian and like most other Canadians I do not want to rock the boat. The French have no particular love for the US or the American cyclists who are starting to dominate a predominately European sport. Ohh how they forget so quickly! It was Canada, England and the United States who landed on D-Day over 60 years ago and liberated France from the Nazi’s! It was my Grandfather and your Grandfather who lost their lives defending the French and giving them back their freedom. I feel very angry towards the French right now. I feel like they want to make the US look bad, they want to make the US riders look bad. This one seems to be more about politics and not letting an American walk away with the prize!
Only three more words to utter.
God Bless America!