Wednesday Roundup

News
Cyclingnews manages to cite yesterday's ESPN piece on Landis without the sometimes detectable negative slant.

On the other hand, the tech side of CN talks about power metering using Morzine as an example.

The Cyclingpost claims Landis is suffering not only financial problems, but mental illness as well. This is deduced from a single statement in yesterday's ESPN article, demonstrating amazing skill in psychological diagnosis. They also refer to ESPN as a "Spanish" station. So it goes.

The San Diego Union Tribune posts the Cliff's Notes version of yesterday's ESPN.com article as does The Philadelphia Inquirer.

The Tucson Citizen picks up an AP version of yesterday's VeloNews piece about the many disappointments of Chritian Prudhomme.

Blogs
Bicycling's Boulder Report catches the ennui of the pace of the case. He thinks Landis may in a standoff and getting squeezed financially into starting a case before he's sure he has all the pieces he needs to start, and USADA could be playing to that, while posturing about the current system being perfectly fine. Joe Lindsay is tuned to several levels of the complexity of the case, and doesn't seem thrilled by what it says about the search for truth, and promises some more later.

Dugard wants us to guess who may be coming to dinner this wekeend in SD?:

There's a rumor that Floyd Landis will be attending this weekend's Endurance Sports Awards banquet down in San Diego. I hope so. There can be no other choice for Cyclist of the Year (no one else in the room will be able to claim that they won the 2006 Tour de France), but to actually hand him the trophy will be seen by some as an endorsement of drug use. There will be plenty of sponsors in the room, and the people at Competitor Magazine (the event's hosts) are notoriously gun-shy about making advertisers even the slightest bit uncomfortable. So I say that Floyd gets his bad self into the room and we see what happens. It would be nice for Competitor to take a stand, one way or the other.

USAToday's Sports Scope blog takes note of the ESPN piece yesterday, and includes a number of other relatively recent developments along with the following helpful blurb:

The blog Trust But Verify continues to compile a staggering number of Landis-related articles and offers a roundup of January milestones.

Biking Bis comments on losing FL as a competitor this year as well as all of the hearing delays that have caused that situation.

Through th3 Wall gives us Part3 of "Tales from Temecula", with pointers to route maps. And then she gives us part 4 with the lesson about NEVER having to be ashamed for needing just a little help (and a few laughs).
BolderInBoulder has not one but two tales of his own from that camp, and SimplyStu from raceAthlete had a great time in Temecula last week, and things only got better at dinner Friday night.

NashvilleCyclist talks about the impossible options faced by FL, and how costly any decision would be.

Velochimp expresses his disappointment that FL probably will not race this year:

The Landis case seems to highlight how broken the drug testing and enforcement process is at his point. Looking at cycling and the various newspaper reports, positive drug tests and unproven cases it just look like a mess.

BRILF gives us three good reasons to train with Powertap.

Steroid Nation summarizes an article about Don Catlin of the UCLA lab we hadn't seen.

Craig's Blog just trusts FL. He doesn't have scientific reasons, but he believes.

Swap Blog also notes that there will likely be no racing this year for Landis.

Steroid Nation runs excerpts of yesterday's Daily Peloton interview with USADA's Tygart.

Forums
DPF discusses the DP interview with Tygart, with folks arguing whether it was a 'softball' interview or not, and TBV is criticised for calling it that.

Thought for the Day

I don't like small birds. They hop around so merrily outside my window, looking so innocent. But I know that secretly, they're watching my every move and plotting to beat me over the head with a large steel pipe and take my shoe -jh-

[end]

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TBV January Report

Talk about asleep at the switch, it's the 30th and I forgot all about the report due on the 29th. That'll teach me to pay attention to the paying job!

Let's see, in January, we had

• procedurally a whole heap of nothing going on visibly with the USADA case;
• the AFLD case come up as a big deal, and then seem to fizzle, at more expense to Landis;
• the Floyd Fairness Fund open shop, and apparently collect $150,000 in the first month.
• "Town Hall" meetings for the FFF
• John LeLangue resurfaced, covering his backside.
• Landis gave us a plug in a ROAD magazine interview.
• Mr. Pound took a PR beating from the NYT Magazine, launching the "violating virgins" quote.
  
• CBC ran a long story that was balanced enough folks from both ends of the spectrum complained;
• Betsy Andreu responded at length to Rant's discussion of the CBC piece;
• Mr. Pounds' "Roid Floyd" claim seems to have been debunked.
• The Puerto investigation was stalled because someone in the Spanish goverment forgot to pay a 25,000 Euro lab bill.
  
• Landis IS doing Leadville, and the promoter couldn't care less about sanctioning bodies.
• Maclean's magazine collects the wit and wisdom of Mr. Pound.
• Landis got some new high powered and high priced legal help.
• Dr. Kay reports Landis' hip is recovering marvelously.
• WETA radio ran an interview with Landis that NPR picked up, adding comments by Ayotte.
• McQuaid shot himself in the foot with remarks unrelated to Landis.
• Mr. Landis went to Washington, and talked with some folks in Congress.
• Michael Hiltzik continued focusing his journalistic spotlight on WADA in the LA Times.
• WADA started to back away from "strict liability" in a proposed Code update.
• The Cofidis legal case in France wrapped up with a whimper.
• Oscar Peirero got caught with his TUE paperwork in a bunch, but eventually came out intact and with a new appreciation of the media machine.
• Landis ran his week-long training camp with a spiffy new bike, and rode the heck out of everybody, despite being overweight.
• Patrick Lefevere of QuickStep had some dirty laundry aired out, suggesting he's more than a little hypocritical when it comes to taking a moral stand.

(I'll get around to putting links in the above later.)

The big question that remains open is: What is going on with the USADA proceeding?

Heck if I know.

[end]

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Tuesday Roundup

News
USADA issued a Press Release about cyclists Cale Redpath and Alice Pennington being taken off suspension for failure to appear for a test because of something about their being "reserve athletes". The facts of the cases are very unclear to us -- why did USADA really give up on these after they were sanctioned? These were earlier reported as done deals in CyclingNews on Nov 12 and Nov 10. USADA somehow distinguished these two from Jason Sager, so he's not off the hook (yet?). Are they making shows of mercy to the innocent while they clear the decks for the Landis case? Is WADA going to appeal these shows of leniancy to CAS?

The Daily Peloton's Ferren Christou provides a long interview throwing softballs for Travis Tygart of USADA, who comments on notorious current doping cases (with minimal mention of Landis):

Where the system runs into conflict is when athletes who know that they committed the doping offense are grasping at straws and hoping to find a technicality in order to escape the consequences of doping. That is why you see more and more that defense counsel will inundated us with voluminous requests for documents outside of what has been set forth in the rules. These fishing expeditions are typically designed to introduce confusion into the process and create a smoke and mirrors defense in an effort to influence the public and create false sympathy for the athlete.

In context, it's not about Landis, so he's not directly implying, "Landis doped, knows it, and is grasping at straws." But neither does it admit the possibility that there may be anything wrong with the testing, or that an athlete might be improperly charged.

ESPN.com has a good, long piece by Bonnie DeSimone on Landis and the case. He says he's "pretty much written off this season", and says he wants "to believe that the right thing will happen and we'll get a fair hearing, as long as it takes." Meanwhile, Travis Tygart says, "We're ready to proceed, We want hearings done as soon as possible." This makes it sound like the Landis camp is behind or not fighting too strongly the current delays. Landis is spending $100,000 a month on legal fees, and that he's treating it as a race: "I have to get enough money fast enough. I have to learn everything fast enough and I have to get the best help."

"They see it as a competition, too," Landis said of USADA. "They've even come out and said, in the press, 'We've never lost a case.' Well, if you're winning and losing, it's a competition. If you're looking for justice and trying to find out who's cheating, and you find out you made a mistake, and you drop it, you're not winning or losing, you're seeking the truth. It is a competition. It is to them, and it has to be to me."

The BBC has picked this up, in abbreviated form, and mixed in quotes from various other interviews. It concludes with Landis saying, "I really have never been treated this poorly by anybody in my life."

AFP via Velonews caries the same story.

VeloNews reports that Prudhomme, Director of Le Tour, is unhappy about the pace of the case. He doesn't expect a resolution before the start of this year's Boucle:

The situation is unbearable. March?! ... So much delay is not good for the Tour, for Oscar Pereiro, for Caisse d'Epargne or for cycling.

It hasn't been so good for the Phonak team or Landis, either.

CyclingNews also prints Prudhomme's dissappintment at the absurd amount of time it has taken for the Landis case to be heard. We suspect he is not the only one so disappointed.

SportingGo runs an edited version of recent Rant piece about urination contests between agencies, and Mr. Pound's attempt to do PR polishing. Rant must be trying alternate distribution streams. Where is the "Profit" step?

Blogs
Cycling4Life presents the "Floyd Files" (not to be confused with the " X-Files", though I do suspect the truth is out there somewhere) a sort of mini-compendium of Landis Links.

Investment Biker Blog defines the meaning of "bad ass" and FLandis is incredulous.

Flemican Sports Fan writes about Dopes on Wheels.(to quote Nino Savat from Firesign Theater,"it might just take one to know one")

The Flemican also points to an interesting old page at TotalBike about doping in cycling.

Information on Sports posts from a time warp that FL's hip operation was a success.

Willow Street notes FFF Town Hall in Brooklyn; no new info, but amusing illustration. Is it supposed to suggest biking past the graveyard?

ThroughTh3Wall, a triathlete with 133t13k!a*, writes of another camp in Temecula, overlapping Floyd's Camp. Rural Girl tells her side of the story, and of the closing dinner at Floyd Camp.

Hugh W is contributing to the FFF, darn it.

Snark O' the Day
Sports Hernia snarks about what to do when writing the season off.

Email
An emailer tells me he took the bull by the horns and called USADA and asked to talk to Travis Tygart, who he called T-3. He got a callback, and talked for 5 minutes without getting much except a tip to go look for an ESPN.com article -- linked above. Thanks, Travis!

Forums
At DPF, a new thread on the timing of the hearing offers this trenchant analysis from MacRoadie:

Tygart's statement that "The arbitration process is grounded in federal statute and contains all the safeguards to ensure due process." isn't entirely accurate. The AAA rules for document production fall far below federal rules for pre-trial litigation discovery. In fact, most lawyers find that to be one of the biggest problems with the AAA arbitration process. The AAA rules simply lack any real teeth. Parties often ignore deadlines for the production of documents, fail to produce all requested documents, or produce documents only at the last minute when it is too late for opposing counsel to thoroughly review the information.

Additionally, the rule for the exchange of exhibits in advance of the arbitration hearing is also a source for problems. Moving parties must produce their exhibits and witness list to the opposing side in advance, whereas rebuttal exhibits and rebuttal witnesses need not be identified in advance.

I personally would never enter into an arb agreement, especially if my life depended on it. I'd rather forego the expedience and guarantee myself due process.

Thought for the Day

“Sometimes I think you have to march right in and demand your rights,even if you don't know what your rights are, or who the person is you're talking to. Then on the way out, slam the door. -jh-

*"leet-lexia", the compulsion to write things in leet (133t).

[end]

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Monday Roundup

News
ProCycling writes briefly about the Landis request for a delay in the AFLD hearing.

The FFF is having a Town Hall in Brooklyn on Feb 7. Click on the image for details:


Bicycling did a blurb on the Pegoretti/Handey bike, with audio.

Blogs
Brilf marvels at Floyd's new ride (a custom Pegoretti given to him by Saris) and loves the "graffiti" on the bike!

Rant wonders if Mr. Pound is polishing his image at the expense of the Landis defense team.

Triple Crankset thinks his money can be better used to fight cancer rather than in donation to the FFF.

Dugard is just getting confused by the procedural tangle of the Landis case, and doesn't get Prince at the Superbowl.

Erik posts the CycleOps video from the Landis Power Camp last week and muses that some poeple were really lucky to have been there.

Reginald Smythe offers a Commander McBragg-ish explanation what happened at Morzine.

Forums
Revisiting DPF, we find a good discussion wondering what's going on with the scheduling, whose interest is served by delay, and noting Landis has gone fairly quiet. There's also a timeline comparision with the Hamilton case.

Weight Weenies considers the Pegoretti, and a discussion of other matters gets squelched.

Back around July 20, the Serotta BBS had a thread that offered completions to, "Floyd is so tough...", and another of "Floyd Landis Facts".

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Some pictures from Floyd's Power camp

Climbing Mt. Palomar, Landis puts on a burst that makes Robbie Ventura feel retired. Where are the helmets?

Landis surrounded by a bunch of campers.

[more]

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Tell me the truth.
Does this jersey make me look fat?

How about from this angle?

Out of my way.

Melanie McQuaid at the camp.

Now THAT is cool kit.

I'll have what she's having.


Dr. Kay asks if anyone wants to do a little extra ride while the Nessy Burgers are prepared.

Now that's a hill!

Allen Lim, not riding, and shuttling between two training camps, has a big Starbucks' habit to feed.

Now here's your problem. If you leave it with me, we can turn the drums and re-align the tie rods by this afternoon. OK?

Cycling is just SO glamorous.


There were other bikes on Palomar too.

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Sunday Roundup

News
ProCycling says AFLD has let Peirero off the hook.

CyclingNews continues its negatively slanted coverage of Landis by saying the FFF has raised "only" $150,000 so far, misspelling Henson's name, and saying Landis has, "allegedly asked the French anti-doping agency to hold off on its proceedings against him." In contrast, WADA didn't "allegedly" do anything, but "made a similar request of the French anti-doping agency."

Blogs
Diggs has posted (or I should say "re-posted" from cyclingshots) an oldie but a goodie. THIS is what the Floyd Landis Power Camp can do for you my friends!

Phil (under Cycling) notes that Landis eventually wants a second tour victory to make up for 2006.

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Spy reports from Floyd Power Camp

People are arriving home from Floyd Power Camp, and spy reports are dribbling in. So far, we've heard that:

• Everyone who sent a report had a splendid time.
• People were warned not to crash into Landis trying to read the Jack Handey bike.
• While not at competitive weight, Landis is riding well, pain free, and still ran circles around everyone when the road turned up.
• This included some 20% grades on a 39x25, where he went up a few times, and circled back being supportive of the folks who were zig-zagging their way up.
• He was routinely going out for additional rides in the afternoon with the hard-core.
• His first bike as a kid was a Huffy BMX, but getting it wasn't a life defining moment.
• Robbie Ventura is as positive a person as you'll ever meet, in a nice way.
  
• An Allen Lim powerpoint show nearly put Amber Landis to sleep.
• Hawthorns restaurant in San Diego is very nice.
• Some riders from the Slipstream camp came to visit one night and had an exceptionally good time. Like they'd been let out of prison.
• Saris sold a lot of wheel-sets at the camp-special price, and ran out of Floyd 'F' T-shirts.
• The high end rides of choice were BMC and Cervelo, with a smaller number of Treks. No Giants made an appearance.
  

[Pictures arrived, posted here]

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Saturday Roundup

News
The UPI picked up yesterday's LAT Michael Hiltzik piece in which it is revealed that the Landis defense team has asked the AFLD to delay proceedings against Landis scheduled for Feb 8.

The VeloNews finally catches up with the Landis requesting delay of AFLD hearing story.

Via email, Landis released a statement via Michael Henson about some comments Mr. Pound made in Lausanne. It appears Landis' new French legal team arranged a stay on the AFLD proceeding itself. On hearing this, Mr. Pound seems to have made public statements attempting to take some credit or claim influence.

Murietta, Ca., January 26, 2007 – Floyd Landis said, “Public comments by Dick Pound at the recent World Anti-Doping Agency symposium in Switzerland have as usual ranged from misleading statements to incredible falsehoods. The systemic problems with the integrity of the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) current system must in part be reflecting his amazing disregard for the truth and proper conduct. Dick Pound’s continued enthusiasm for embarrassing WADA’s mission is disturbing to everyone like me who wants clean sports and a fair playing field, and his behavior must be demoralizing for those in his own organization who actually want to fight doping the right way.

Dick Pound’s public comments regarding my ongoing discussions with the French authorities once again breach principles of best practice and confidentiality. Through my counsel, Gibson Dunn & Crutcher, we are working with the appropriate French authorities and the process has been professional and respectful to the interests of all parties concerned. Dick Pound should aspire to these standards.”

Blogs
Neil@Road publishes his wattage numbers from the Mt Palomar climb Thursday at the Landis Power camp, including a picture of Landis himself on the climb.

A Chem Blog mentions that some students who participate in the blog (and supposedly in a chemistry class) have chosen FL's case to analyze as their chosen "analytical problem"

Joel White seems to approve of not only FL's new Dario Pegoretti bike, but also of the "Handeyisms" upon it.

SuperFunPatrol, in a very old piece, declares Landis tested positive for "Awesome", running afoul of the French Union for the Prevention of Awesome (FUPA).

Thought of the Day

Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their
shoes. That way, you'll be a mile from them, and  
you'll have their shoes. 
 -jh-

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Friday Roundup

News
LAT's Michael Hiltzik writes that the Landis team has requested a delay in the AFLD hearing set for Feb 8. This request parallels one made by WADA:

The request parallels one made by the World Anti-Doping Agency, or WADA, which supervises the enforcement of sports doping regulations worldwide, but can not force a sovereign government to play by its rules. WADA President Richard W. Pound said this week that his agency had asked the French in December to suspend their proceedings. He said "they seem ready to do that, although without renouncing their judicial rights."
But the Landis defense said it does not expect the French agency, known by its initials AFLD, to announce a decision until the day of the scheduled hearing, Feb. 8. At that time, AFLD could open the hearing as a formality but move to postpone further action. Landis does not plan to attend.

VeloNews writes that Pereiro is still waiting for an apology, as well as the Tour de France title.


PE.Com publishes promised in depth article about Landis and his struggle to regain his reputation and the time it takes trying to prove his innocence. Included are two rather pixilated video clips from this week's Power Camp in Temcula,CA.

PhilyBurbs.com asks the musical question,"Where have you gone Floyd Landis?" (check Nessy Burger)


Blogs
EcoNutJob thinks that after careful study the Landis' positive test results just don't add up:

I do not believe that there is adequate evidence to show that he was doping. In fact, I think there is almost no evidence. Obviously, I said from the beginning that I didn't want to believe he doped. But also, I'm a scientist, and do chemical analyses very similar to the doping tests for a living. I've ran thousands of samples using isotope ratio mass spectrometry. I talked to one of the top microbial biochemists in the country who said he didn't believe that Floyd's tests demonstrated that he doped. Finally, I can't trust a lab who can't follow the simple rules of proper doping disclosure to do the analyses correct.

Neil@Road describes "Schanigans" with Landis. Haaaaaar me matey! The moral of this story: don't torque off the local Sherrif!


Neil@Road then tells us a little about being part of the Landis Power Camp this week, and describes the new CycleOps wireless Power Tap.


Dugard is delighted by the albeit slim prospect that Landis could come out on top in the AFLD hearing, which could screw up WADA's case against him.


Rant thinks that Oscar needs to stop whinning and count his blessing because, "it could be worse", he could be Floyd Landis.

Eric attempts to speak for/as Floyd, but he may actually be auditioning for the "Snark of the Day"

Cycling Training Tips lists the top 5 excuses certain cyclists use to proclaim their innocence from doping accusations, another possible contender for "snark of the day" honors.

Misc
TbV correspondent Marc has sent this along to us from LeMonde, perhaps the Pereiro story is not quite over with yet:

In the Spanish press, Oscar Pereiro had explained that he suffered from excercised-induced asthma, and that the UCI gave him a TUE several years ago to take Ventoline, which contains salbutamol.

Several specialists have expressed doubts regarding the diagnosis of so-called exercise-induced asthma. As early as 1999, Prof. Keun Youl Kim, secretary of the medical committee of the Asian Olympic Council, and president of its sub-commission on TUEs, had revealed in a report sent to the International Olympic Committee that "doctors for some athletes' teams are strongly suspected of making intentionally erroneous diagnoses of exercise-induced asthma in order to be able to justify officially prescribing salbutamol, when their real objective is the improvement of the athletes' physical performance during sporting events."

For Robert Gautheir, wo has carried out research on exercise-induced asthma and has conducted numerous tests on cyclists, TUE [note: spelled AUT in French] stands for "Authorization Useful for Trickery." The former president of the Sports Medicine Center of Lyon estimates that "a single puff of salbutamol, through its blood-vessel-dilating action, can improve oxygen consumption by 0.3 liters, and can therefore improve power by around 20 watts." "For a rider weighing 80 kg along with his bicycle, on a climb of 8% at a speed of 20 km/hr, that would represent a gain of 1 km/hr or 3 minutes on a climb of 20 km," Gauthier estimated.

Thought of the Day

Sometimes when I reflect back on all the beer I   
drink I feel ashamed. Then I look into the glass  
and think about the workers in the brewery and all
of their hopes and dreams. If I didn't drink this 
beer, they might be out of work and their dreams  
would be shattered. Then I say to myself, 'It is  
better that I drink this beer and let their dreams
come true than to be selfish and worry about my   
liver.

-jh-   
    

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Thursday Roundup

News
LA Times reporter Michael Hiltzik follows up his own earlier stories by covering the WADA conference in Lausanne. They progressed a proposal to move away from "strict liability" on stimulants, but not steroids. Mr. Pound is caught engaging in, ahh, hyperbole, yeah, that's the word, when he claims that the value of sports drugs exceeds that of "marijuana, cocaine and heroin combined," or so someone told him.

VeloNews has an exclusive with journalist Maarten Michielssens who broke the Patrick Lefevere story:

VN: Why do you think all these people are choosing to talk now?

MM: Well, Ivan Basso said Patrick Lefévère was a hypocrite. Floyd Landis used the same words because Patrick Lefévère said that Floyd Landis was a criminal and should be kicked out forever. So Patrick Lefévère has made some enemies and even the people who are very close to him are not supporting him anymore when he says there are no drugs in our team and everyone else is dirty. Even his own people thought he should watch himself instead of kicking at others all the time. That's why some people were willing to talk. Even this guy from Mapei, the doctor, he called me himself.

CNN.Com posts a story citing Pereiro's clearance from doping allegations and his newly strengthened conviction that he should be declared the Tour de France champion should the Landis appeals fail:

"The whole thing was pathetic," Pereiro told the Spanish television station Antena 3. "I want them to apologise for the mistake and try to rectify the damage they have done.
"It makes me even more determined to be declared the winner of the Tour if it is taken away from (Floyd) Landis."

VeloNews posts that Quickstep riders are in disbelief about the recent allegations of a multi level doping program within the team, and are finding it difficult to be motivated. This, plus OP and the Landis affair, are cited as extremely damaging to the sport.


Eurosport reports that the AFLD has dropped its case against Pereiro. SI.Com and many other news outlet are reporting the same news.


Cyclingnews posts that WADA chief Dick Pound has asked the AFLD to delay its' proceedings against Landis. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the piece is that it reports that Landis' American hearing has been "reportedly" scheduled for March:

WADA president Dick Pound asked the French anti-doping agency AFLD "to suspend its investigation into Floyd Landis until the end of the American procedure," according to L'Equipe. Pound said he submitted his request to the agency in December.

Reportedly, Landis' first hearing before American authorities is scheduled in March--he faces a suspension of up to two years if found guilty. Any appeals would ultimately end up before the American Arbitration Association.

The San Diego Union Tribune rerpints the Dick Pound/WADA story mentioning the apparent inequities in the levels of punishment by different sports entities.


The New York Times writes that the NFL is beefing up not only its penalties for postitive PED results, but will also toughen its' testing methods by making greater use of the same carbon isotope tests performed on the Landis sample six months ago at the Tour de France.

PE.com has a nice write up about the Landis Power camp being held this week in Temecula, CA, and promises a further interview with Landis. See related stories below.

Blogs
Rant can't believe the spin that WADA/Pound is attempting to put on how it feels about the Landis case.

Tim@Road Magazine confirms that Neil@Road is at the Landis Power Camp, even though we have yet to hear from him. It's been a tough week in Temecula!


Misc
On UTube this AM, during a break at work, I found this Cyclops video. It will give some idea of what Floyd's Power Camp is all about.


Thought of the Day

"Everything in moderation, including moderation"

-oscar wilde-

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Wednesday Roundup

News
SI.Com posts a story simliar to the Reuters piece below, though with an AP pedigre. This version has less emphasis on the AFLD angle of Pound's comments. The Sporting News chimes in as well.


Reuters posts a story in which WADA chief Dick Pound is calling for more timely proceedings in doping cases. It also asserts that he wishes the AFLD to postpone its case against Landis until after the WADA/USADA proceedings have taken place:

Despite the slow progress of the case of American Landis, who tested positive for high levels of the male sex hormone testosterone during last year's Tour, Pound said WADA had asked French anti-doping officials to hold off on their investigation into the scandal.

VeloNews (with minimal Landis coverage) reports that Lefevere will sue over doping allegations and that the Spainish gov. wants the Pereiro case dropped completely.

Blogs
Pommi is speechless when it comes to the irony that is Dick Pound:

Dick Pound stepped into the light today, and "called for "greater unity" of the sports' institutions in the fight against doping". According to Reuters, he also called for expedited processing of doping cases. How ironic that he comes up with that idea now, after having dragged out the Floyd Landis case for months and months. On the other hand, Pound wants the AFLD to defer its investigation after the WADA/UCI proceedings on the Landis case. What is also funny, is that he was quoted saying

"But we at WADA have never said anything about the guilt or innocence of the person involved. We just say that the process has to run its course, and we will see what decision is taken at the end."

I'm speechless ...

ScienceFiction Twin mangaes to get Patrick Lefevere type hypocricy and Monty Python type cycling into the same piece.


Rant notes that Patrick Lefevere is fighting mad and striking back, and may be about to eat some of his own words:

But just as it’s easy to make outrageious or slanderous comments anonymously, it’s also easy to make outrageous or slanderous comments when one is up on his high horse acting as a “paragon of virtue” and commenting about ongoing doping cases, such as the Landis case. So who’s telling the truth — Lefevere or Het Laatse Nieuws’ sources?

Steroid Nation discusses Lefevere and his possible lawsuit, and the latest round in the "Landis vs Pound" middle weight prize fight.


Through the Wall is going to Temecula for the final weekend of FL's power camp, and is very excited to be doing so!


NashvilleCyclist thinks that whether they admit PED use or not, cyclists get pushed around by the media because they are not as physically intimidating as the "stick and ball" guys.

FreshGlue thinks that Floyd Landis is the George W. Bush of cycling.

Forums
The Lefevere discussion continues over on DP with a translation by correspondent Marc of some of today's developments.


Thought of the Day

“I can't stand cheap people. It makes me real mad when someone says something like, "Hey, when are you going to pay me that $100 you owe me?" or "Do you have that $50 you borrowed?" Man, quit being so cheap!”

-jh-

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Tuesday Roundup

News
Cyclingnews carries reaction to and analysis of the Lefevere story.


VeloNews reports that Lefevere is fighting back against the allegations noted here earlier today:

"As a result of an article published today in the Het Laatste Nieuws newspaper, retaining it to be without foundation and extremely detrimental to both my personal and professional image, that of the people that currently work or that have worked with me during the past years, I'd like to announce that I have contacted my lawyer in order to act against the authors of the above said article with the objective of defending my rights," he said.

Lefevere, who has maintained a close relationship with ex-rider Johan Museeuw despite doping allegations leveled against him, heavily criticized Floyd Landis after the American tested for high testosterone en route to winning the 2006 Tour de France.

Eurosport reports that the UCI has cleared Pereiro of any doping offences (which would ostensibly allow him to be declared the TdF champion if Floyd Landis loses his appeals) but:

the UCI said the Spaniard had shown "serious negligence" when he delayed providing evidence of a medical exemption to the French Anti-Doping Agency (AFLD) requested in September last year.

Cyclingpost.com weighs in on the Slipstream story, adding nothing new.

Bicyling's Boulder Report backs away from it a little, with more analysis.

Salem News says children need real heroes, and this is a sad time for them. No prizes for guessing who is cited as an example.

Via News24, The UCI has reiterated their declaration that Oscar didn't dope. No surprise, but it isn't them doing the re-examination of the TUE.

Blogs
Rant has Lefevere living in one of those nasty glass houses too. Among Lefevere's comments on Landis are:

Maybe we should sue Landis, why not? Why don’t we use the American way? As long as Landis continues to claim he doesn’t know about anything, such a scenario becomes more and more likely.

I want to throw up when I hear him. Landis has turned the clock twenty years backwards.

Steroid Nation ponders, how many puns can Dick Pound handle?

Colm at Infactah.com may not have known the exact location of the auction, but thought that Floyd Landis may just have convinced him that guilt proven before innocence is just so wrong (thanks to Jack).

Pelotonjim thinks that the AFLD smells blood in the water:

The AFLD is now taking front and center in the Floyd Landis and Oscar Peiero cases stating the UCI and USA Cycling are not the final arbituers of cycling.

Rural Girl is very excited to be going to camp in Temecula.

Rant notes that in the past week Pereiro has gotten a very small dose of the medicine FL has been taking for the past six months, in a pissing match between UCI and AFLD.

NashvilleCyclist not only has doubts about FL's positives following stage 17 in the TdF, but also doubts the absolute need for some of the TUEs passed out there as well.

Dugard has finished his book about the Mexican-American war.

Forums
Found at DP this AM a thread concerning allegations of Patrick Lefevere and doping. Not sure it is going anywhere but it may be of interest.

Here is TbV correspondent Marc's much appreciated translation:

"The Late News."
Accusations against Lefevere
Tues. Jan. 23, 2007. Eight figures in the cycling world made
revelations to the Flemish neswpaper Het Laatste Nieuws today
regarding Patrick Lefevere, director of the QuickStep cycling team.
According to their testimony, Lefevere is said to have been at the
center of organized doping in the cycling world for almost 30 years.

The Flemish daily published what it characterizes as 30 years of
doping, detoxification, fraud, amphetamines, and epo. Het Laatste
Nieuws bases its charges on statments by eight witnesses, six of them
unidentified.

Six of the witnesses are from the cycling world. They prefer to
remain anonymous "for fear of the consequences." Lefevere is
described as a central figure in the doping realm from the 70s right
up to today.
The two other witneses are an Italian physician and a former close
friend of Patrick Lefevere.

According to Het Laatste Nieuws, an Italian physician is said to have
examined the riders on the Mapei team directed by Lefevere in the 1990s.
"The growth hormones came from the pharmacy and the EPO was ordered
by the riders over the Internet. If you wanted to have a good
season, you had to pay between 20 and 30,000 euros, medicine
included. Lefevere knew about it. He saw what was going on, and he
approved it," the doctor declared.

"Lefevere stopped riding when he himself became dependent on the
amphetamines that he was pushing," one witness in Het Laatste Nieuws
affirmed.

“Mister Clean”
Patrick Lefevere was a professional cyclist from 1976 to 1979. He
stopped competing at age 25 and became an assistant team director.

Lefevere subsequently worked for Capri-Sonne, Kotto, and GB-MG.
In the 90s he achieved some notable successes as the director of the
Mapei team that included such well known riders as Museeuw,
Ballerini, Bartoli, and Tafi.
In 2003, QuickStep took over for Mapei. [Lefevere] remained the
director of the team, and directed such champions as Tom Boonen and
Paolo Bettini.

Patrick Lefevere seemed to be “Mr. Clean” in the cycling world. He has always insisted he was fighting against doping.

“Absolute nonsense”
Patrick Lefevere formally denies the accusations and characterizes
them as “absolute nonsence.”
He admits only that he took amphetamines seven or eight times as a racer. “The rest is nothing other than pure fiction,” he declares.

The QuickStep-Innergetic manager currently wishes to begin legal
proceedings against Het Laatste Nieuws.


Thought of the Day

“It takes a big man to cry, but it takes a bigger man to laugh at that man.”

-jh-

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Monday Roundup

News
PezCycling Eurotrash Monday picks up on the FL to Slipstream rumor, but makes it abundantly clear that this is a very conditional on BOTH sides.


CNN.com ( with a Reuters report) frames the story a bit differently with the headline, "Careless Pereiro Cleared of Doping", placing the blame on the athlete.


MSNBC posts an AP report stating that the UCI has roundly criticized the AFLD for its handling of the Pereiro case.


Eurosport reports that Pereiro's test was just a big "mix up".

Blogs
lactic_acid ran into FL this weekend at the LA Velodrome, and was surprised at F's mode of tranportation and his lack of a posse.

MB @ Blacknell.net who posted about FL's visit to Arlington,VA two weeks ago, lists the cycling calendar for the DC area for this year including the Shenandoah Mountain 100 to which Floyd has been invited.


infomediality has solved all of sports' doping problems, by suggesting hypnosis. Let's hope the folks at WADA read TBV. Covered before here and here.

Neil@ROAD mentions the track championships at the LA Velodrome this past weekend which FL attended( and where Sarah Hammer kicked some ass) and mentioned that you can run into almost anyone on a bike in the hills of SoCal this time of year.

ScandalousExpo lures us in with a mention of the NPR story, but grabs us by the, um, throat with this illustration of a book all TBV readers will have to run out and buy, just because:

(Available at Amazon)


Thought of the Day

If you define cowardice as running away at the first sign of danger, screaming and tripping and begging for mercy, then yes, Mister Brave Man, I guess I am a coward.

-jh-

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Sunday Roundup

Playoff-Related Quote of the Day

What would happen when the Super Bowl is over instead of dancing through the tunnel and shout how they are going to Disneyworld they are shown walking directly to doping control as happens every day in the TdF to the stage winner and the yellow jersey?

(link)

News
Spies at the Floyd Landis Power Camp that began Saturday send us this picture of his new steed, an art piece, by Dario Pegoretti. It's all white, and every available linear surface has had transferred upon it a Jack Handey quotation. Example: "Everyone has a photographic memory. Some don't have film." There are probably 20 of the quotes. (click for bigger)


"A special bike for a special person." The construction was arranged by the folks at Saris, headed by David Cathcart, who felt bad Landis was riding around on his old training beater after winning the Tour. Peggoretti turned it around in a month. Trick Wheelbuilder carbons and SRAM running gear. Participants were warned not to run into the guy with the new hip while trying to read the bike.

Cyclingnews writes that FL is in discussion with Jonathan Vaughters about a possible return to professional cycling:

Floyd Landis has had preliminary discussions with team director Jonathan Vaughters about a possible return to racing in his Professional-Continental squad, Team Slipstream Powered by Chipotle. Vaughters confirmed to Cyclingnews that he had spoken with the current Tour de France 2006 champion about a possible return to racing, but said it was still very early days. "We've not even discussed money or contracts or anything like that," Vaughters said.

"I'd spoken to Floyd and he said, 'it'd be a great team to come back [to racing] with' … but if he can't prove his innocence, then it's not really worth discussing any further," Vaughters said.

From the Salt Lake Tribune comes commentary on hope and science for young cyclists in America:

Watching the athletes work out, Steve Johnson, the CEO of USA Cycling, described the day that Landis tested positive as a "tragedy," but believes the sport is rebounding, at least stateside

The Charlotte Observer posts what appears to be the first n a series of reports on HGH, WADA, and the introduction of easily used HGH test kits. Looks like it may be Pound vs the NFL this time:

Gene Upshaw said in the e-mail he's wary of controversial cases in which athletes such as Tour de France champion Floyd Landis have tested positive but claimed they were falsely accused because of flaws in WADA's testing process.
Pound staunchly defended WADA and said he is confident of the agency's handling of the Landis case. Pound said WADA has the "absolute gold standard of impartial international monitoring" of sports doping. He said WADA represents a consensus of 191 governments, including the United States, and the entire Olympic-related sports world

The Eureka Reporter gives FL a "Hammy" for cheat of the year past. TbV gives this particular award honors as "Snark of the Day" Congrats to the Eureka Reporter!

Blogs
The Cycliste Moderne catches up with FL related news from the past two weeks, and finds lots to comment on.

Cycling Culture for C Jay feels an acute sense of disillusionment about most things cycling.

Boulderblog has more info on a possible Landis/Vaughters connection, including a ride with Slipstream's training camp last week (strbuk apologizes for any possible involvement in FL's weight gain):

Landis joined Slipstream for one day of riding, a roughly six-hour jaunt in the mountains around Julian, east of San Diego. Despite his recently surgically repaired hip, he looked fine on the bike, climbing in the middle of the group on even the stiffest hills, and says he is riding without pain. “I’m just fat!” he said of his form.

Rant talks about McQuaid's concern for cycling at the Olympics, and the general state of attacks on Pro Cycling.

Pommi notes that FL is talking with Vaughters, and that Pound my be just about through.

Thought of the Day:

"I hope that someday we will be able to put away our fears and prejudices and just laugh at people.”

-jh-

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Saturday Roundup

News
NPR Weekend Edition Saturday featured a story about the Landis defense ( using audio from last week's WETA interview in Arlington,VA) but with additional comment from WADA officals. Audio of the piece should be available after 1:00PM EST this afternoon.

VeloNews notes that Landis (along with Dave Z) attended the opening night of the Los Angeles Track World Cup.

The Winston-Salem Journal posts an opinion piece written by Perry Craven who decides to contribute to the FFF in the honor of all cyclists:

Yesterday while doing my laundry, I decided that I would write a check to Floyd Landis, the winner of the Tour de France. The check would read, "The Floyd Fairness Fund" and would help him and his supporters cover legal and other professional fees and expenses in connection with Landis' defense and to help clear his name of doping charges.
My hope is that he is innocent of testing positive for the hormone testosterone during last year's Tour de France. And while I do not know Landis personally, I know, I think, the kind of person he must be or has been to be an accomplished cyclist, regardless of my thoughts about drugs.

Sporting Life tells us that Pereiro has come up with the paperwork requested of him this week.

Blogs
Rant sees a threat from within, and with friends like these cycling doesn't need enemies.

Looks like Neil@ROAD will also be a happy camper this week! Good luck to all who attend Power Camp, please come back in one piece!!

Mark McClusky discusses TUEs and the dirty little secret of cycling.

Luna Cycles thinks that whether Landis is innocent or not,WADA should get its act together, and people who live in glass houses should watch what they say:

Seems ol' Oscar Pereiro isn't quite as pristine as he wants to make himself out to be. The guy who wants Landis convicted by the kangaroo court of anti-doping so he can be crowned winner of the '06 TdF, tested positive twice for salbutimol during the tour. In a big old F*** you to the UCI, the TdF organization says it doesn't care that Pereiro had a "medical exemption" to used the banned substance. I sure am glad all of the bureaucrats are having a successful go at destroying professional cycling.

Alliwannadoisbicycle ponders the state of the cycling union.

Thought of the Day:

if you are a happy employee does that make you 'gruntled' ?

- Jack Handey-

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Friday Roundup

News
Velonew's Foaming Rant fromPatrick O'Grady includes this illustration that is too precious to skip, despite the minimal Landis content:
Claimer: TBV has two sons that have looked remarkably like that picture during parts of their childhoods. That means he too has had access to PED inhalants, and should be DQ-ed from the blogosphere.

The San Diego Union Tribune's story about Sarah Hammer and the sponsorship and support of Dr Brent Kay (FL's physician, friend, and founder of the OUCH sports medicine clinic) is inspiring on many levels.

The Sydney Morning Herald prints a mishmash of the past year's sports stories (just a tad late?) and may just be in line for the coveted "snark 'o' the day" award :

You said what?

Tour de France "winner" Floyd Landis on failing a drug test with enough testosterone in him to suggest he had been watching Rocky movies for three weeks solid: "I would like to be assumed innocent until proven guilty, since that's the way we do things in America…" Technically, he may be roughly correct, as Guantanamo Bay is not actually in America.

Yahoo Sports posts an AFP story noting that cycling may be finished as an Olympic sport, due to OP and the Landis case:

"If we continue like this, we run the risk in four or eight years' time of no longer being an Olympic sport," UCI president Pat McQuaid said in an interview with the German newspaper Die Welt Friday.
"If the International Olympic Committee had to comment on our Olympic status after the Floyd Landis and Fuentes affairs, I don't even want to think what it would have decided."

Cyclingnews' Friday Mailbag has a variety of letters about the FFF, Dick Pound, and Phil Liggett.

BBC Sport covers yesterday's Pereiro story from Le Monde and also mentions the Landis AFLD hearing in Feb.

Sportinglife.com UK says Pereiro is on a collision course, and mentions the upcoming Landis hearing as well.

Blogs
Rant notes that Oscar Speaks (and he isn't talking about the Grouch).

Dugard says the worm has turned, indeed:

Fast forward through all the stuff that has happened since: drug tests, denials, accusations, and Pereiro's petulant demands that Landis hand over the title (hey, if I won the Tour de France, there's no way on earth I'd simply abdicate my throne, especially to a guy I let back into the race so I could rest my legs). Through it all, I could sense Pereiro's frustration. He will never ever come close to winning the Tour de France again, as long as he lives. Even by default, being crowned Tour champ would make his whole life. And now this. The guy who's been calling Landis a cheat has been doping all along, with the implied consent of Tour officials. Now that the Tour realizes Landis won't be a sacrificial lamb, and that sponsors won't pony up their millions without proof that the Tour is whistle clean, these disclosures are particularly titillating

Just Riding Along thinks that FL is a "rock star".

Deadspin piles on, noting they are all blood doping. Apparently.

Steroid Nation advises Oscar to answer mail from The Authorities more promptly, under the title, "Just Call off the Tour de France"

Web
British Cycling publishes a New Year's letter from McQuaid, which reflects how political things are becoming. He'll talk to any Federation president, but not a group of them.

Quote of the Day

If when you die you get a choice between pie heaven and regular heaven, choose pie heaven. It might be a trick but if not, mmmboy

- Jack Handey-

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Thursday Roundup

News
The IHT prints the AP Pereiro story with a twist, Oscar is waiting for an apology:

MADRID, Spain: Tour de France runner-up Oscar Pereiro denied doping allegations Thursday, saying he will send French authorities documentation of his waiver to take an asthma medication during last year's race and then wait for someone to "apologize" to him.

Below is a translation of the Pereiro story from LeMonde by correspondent Marc:

Oscar Pereiro, second in the 2006 Tour de France, tested positive during the Grande Boucle

by Stéphane Mandard

Oscar Pereiro has been quiet for several weeks. The Spanish rider, second in the 2006 Grande Boucle, has not demanded any longer (as he did last summer when Floyd Landis' positive result for testosterone was revealed) that he be named the winner of the Tour de France instead of the American. For good reason. According to our sources, the rider for the Caisse d'Epargne team also tested positive during the Tour de France, on two occasions: July 17 for the 14th stage Montélimar-Gap and July 19 after the 16th stage Bourg-d'Oisans-La Toussuire.

The substance that was found in the Spaniard's urine was salbutamol, a product usually prescribed for asthma, but forbidden whether in competition or not. The International Cyclists Union (UCI), which granted Oscar Pererio an authorisation for therapeutic use (TUE) for salbutamol, declared his case "closed." However, the French Anti-doping Agency (AFLD) considers that the TUE given the rider does not (so far) have any medical justification.

"Suspicious" authorizations given to some French riders

Since August, the AFLD has sent three registered letters to the Spaniard, asking him to send it medical evidence that would demonstrate that the rider really does suffer from an illness requiring the use of salbutamol, and that the TUE granted by the UCI is not concealing doping. As of Thursday, January 18, the agency had not received any response from the rider, apart from the return receipts indicating delivery of the three letters. It also asked the UCI to give a medical justification for the authorization it granted Oscar Pereiro--so far in vain. "We will not be satisfied with an administrative file," Pierre Bordry (president of the AFLD) declared to Le Monde. On Thursday, January 25, the agency's technical council will consider the Pereiro case. If the rider has not sent the agency the information it requested by that date, or if the information does not convince the experts, Pierry Bordry will then decide whether to open a disciplinary proceeding against him.

Since the authority of the AFLD is limited to French territory, Oscar Pereiro is at risk of not being allowed to race the next Tour de France, and also of losing his 2006 second place, should proceedings be pursued all the way to their end. Six other cases of riders who tested positive during the 2006 Tour (all with "suspicious" TUEs) will also be considered by the AFLD on January 25. Among them are some French riders whose names were not revealed. Some of these riders, like Oscar Pereiro, have still not answered the Agency's request for medical justificatons, while others have furnished evidence that the anti-doping specialists have judged insufficient.
In total, twelve riders with TUEs tested positive during the last Grande Boucle. Five cases have been declared closed, with the AFLD judging that the authorizations were justified. The fate of the others is in suspense until the meeting of January 25.

[Story appearing in the Le Monde edition of Friday, Jan. 19]

But wait, there's more:

AFP carries a statement by Christian Prudhomme (director of the Tour de France)

"Pereiro is clearly in order with the UCI. But I understand perfectly the AFLD's desire to have the precise details of the TUE granted. It does not seem illegitimate to me that a testing organization would want to know more about a medical case. I want to believe that this is a case of regrettable and culpable administrative negligence, and that everything will be in order again by next Thursday [note: the deadline set for Pereiro to complete his file]. That is certainly is very messy.

And even more than that the story continues (a very big thanks goes to TbV correspondent Marc):

Latest from AFP:

The Spanish sports newpaper, As, indicated Thursday on its internet site that Spaniard Oscar Pereiro, who is suspected of doping, will send the documents proving his innocence to the AFLD Monday.

Oscar Pereiro (Caisse d'Epargne) indicated to As that he was going to send the AFLD results of allergy examinations completed three years ago in Vigo, near where he lives. In this way, the Spaniard wishes to respond to stories which appeared in Le Monde Thursday, revealing that the AFLD suspected Pereiro of doping after two positive tests for salbutamol during the 2006 Tour de France (in which he finished second). [Salbutamol] is a product usually prescribed for asthma. The rider had a therapeutic authorization (TUE) considered valid by the International Cyclists Union (UCI). The UCI judged his case closed. But the AFLD, with authority over French territory, had been asking the Spaniard for additional information since July--in vain, according to Le Monde.

CyclingNews covers, and thinks it's a spat with the UCI about excessive TUEs, and gives background on "the 12" and Igor Gonzalez. USAToday also covers the Pereiro story.

The Townsville Bulletin has posted the story from Le Monde about the Oscar Pereiro's positive test for a banned substance:

France daily Le Monde's website reported overnight that Pereiro, who finished second behind American Floyd Landis, twice tested positive for the banned substance salbutamol, which is used for the treatment of asthma.
But Le Monde added that the Caisse d'Epargne rider had an exemption from the sport's governing body, the International Cycling Federation (UCI), to use the substance.

Cyclingnews notes reaction to yesterday's special report on WADA reform, and specifically cites a statement from the FFF:

In a statement issued by the 'Floyd Fairness Fund', an organization set up to help the rider beat a doping charge from the 2006 Tour, Landis said, "It is a positive change in WADA's approach to release to the public these criticisms and calls for rule revisions from organizations ranging from the United States Olympic Committee to a wide range of national sports federations."

Oscar Peirero is having his own engagement with the AFLD (French Doping Agency). Velonews is reporting that LeMonde is reporting that Pereiro tested positive for sabutamol twice during the Tour. He had a TUE, but the AFLD is citing lack of documentation. Townsville Bulletin carries a similar story. Christian Prudhomme, the Tour Director, said via AFP:

Pereiro is clearly in order with the UCI. But I understand perfectly the AFLD's desire to have the precise details of the TUE granted. It does not seem illegitimate to me that a testing organization would want to know more about a medical case. I want to believe that this is a case of regrettable and culpable administrative negligence, and that everything will be in order again by next Thursday [note: the deadline set for Pereiro to complete his file]. That is certainly is
very messy."

with this reaction from the team:

The Caisse d'Epargne team said Thursday that it considered that its rider, Oscar Pereiro, second in the last Tour de France, but suspected of doping, erred simply by negligence in not responding to requests for evidence from French anti-doping authorities.

Francis Lafargue (spokesman for Caisse d’Epargne): "Oscar (Pereiro) received two letters from the AFLD in October and November (asking) for additional medical information. He had the (requested) documents, but did not respond to the Agency. This was negligent. Recently, he received another letter, which threatened to forbid him from racing on French territory. It's only then that he reacted."

Blogs
Deuces's Wild talks about Peirero, under the title, "Pot, meet Mr. Kettle." in a somewhat factually challenged post.

SciFiTwin chips in a "Go Oscar!" and has a cunningn plan for next year.

Rant discusses Oscar's glass house.

Jared Roy notes the scandals just keep coming.

Tour Squad still thinks FL got a raw deal, but his eyes are starting to glaze over.

Pommis World notes that debts have not been paid for the OP investigation, and he speculates that this and the Landis case are being manipulated to drain the athletes dry.

DC Johnny gets a letter from Mike ranting about Landis and the FFF.

Forums
At DPF, jellotrip mines the WADA draft feedback and finds a lot of support for Landis' positions on testosterone testing from the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations.
Peirero's dust up is discussed here.

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