Late Tuesday Roundup

Floyd Landis listens intently during testimony in his USADA hearings this morning. As reported by Bicyling's Loren Mooney, he has a different yellow tie for each day of the hearing.

News
The VeloNews reports on a day full of stops and starts at the Landis hearings at Pepperdine. The morning session began with continued examination of Dr Brenna who seemed caught in a contradiction with the previous day's testimony. In the late morning the examination of Cynthia Mongongu was interrupted by the need to find a translator that all could agree was competent, and the time lost assures that a Saturday session will be necessary. Still Maurice Suh continued his attacks:

Before the unscheduled break, which all but guaranteed a previously in-flux Saturday session, the defense again took aim at the credibility of the French lab. Landis' lead attorney Maurice Suh used most of the morning session to talk about deleted computer files, using LNDD produced logs that included the date, time and nature of events relating to recent testing of Landis B samples as evidence. Suh pointed out several instances in which previously saved data had been overwritten when newer files were saved using the same file name

AHN writes that today it was obvious that the Landis lawyers were trying to discredit the LNDD:

One of the allegations Landis and his camp revealed at the hearing was the possibility lab workers manipulated the calibration of the machines that tested the cyclist's samples. The lawyers also said a U.S. Anti-Doping official tried to prevent them from looking at logs, which could possibly prove the accusations true.

Tuesday's developments were just the beginning of what is expected to be an arduous nine- day affair in which Landis will try to prove that the French lab messed up his drug samples and as a result, the accuracy of the tests cannot be truste

The CyclingNews reviews today's dramatic events from the AM testimony of Dr. Brenna to the lack of a competent interpreter to help in the examination of LNDD employee Cynthia Mongongu in the PM.

The USA Today posts an AP summary of today's activities in the Landis vs USADA hearings.


The LA Times Michael Hiltzik exposes conflicting testimony heard this morning in the Floyd Landis hearings from USADA expert winess Dr. Thomas Brenna who contradicted himself when discussing test runs that the lab had failed to reproduce:

Brenna acknowledged, for example, that in several experimental test runs the lab had failed to reproduce its analytical results with scientifically acceptable precision.
He also acknowledged that documents produced by the lab showed that records relevant to the Landis case had been deliberately deleted. Under cross-examination by Landis attorney Maurice Suh, however, he acknowledged that in analyzing several control samples, the lab generated results that were outside the acceptable range of error.

The Star News Online as do many other media outlets, posts an Eddie Pells AP piece portraying the Landis lawyers attempts to paint the LNDD as incompetent.

NBC Sports.com had the same idea in its coverage, in that it emphasizes the Landis team's attempts to prove incompetence at the LNDD.


ESPN's Bonnie DeSimone wrote an intriguing review of yesterday's events at the Landis hearings, with excellent character pieces on the cast of witnesses and other participants at the proceeding.In a sidebar Ms DeSimone discusses two interesting potential witnesses, one for each side. Eddie Merckx and Greg Le Mond.

The Colorado Springs Gazette's Kate Crandall reports on this morning happenings at the Landis hearings. Among the things noted were exchanges between Maurice Suh and Dr. Thomas Brenna concerning computer file irregularities and inconsistencies in data processed automatically or manually:

Suh also walked Brenna through a set of data that compared the original test results to automatic and manual reprocessing procedures, a key element of Landis' defense.

When Suh asked Brenna if the "significant" differences between the numbers would concern him, Brenna answered, "Yes."

The lunch break came early when concerns over a translator for one of the witnesses arose.


Swimming World questions how doping information not only on cycling but also swimming, gets leaked to the media, and L'Equipe in particular.

Bicycling's Loren Mooney notes that yesterday the Landis team, seemed relaxed and at ease, while the same could not be said for the USDA side of the ledger. Landis has many lines of defense from faulty lab work, all the way to conspiracy. She also gives us a plug. Also listen to Loren Mooney's audio report


Boulder Report's Lindsey brought up Lance Armstrong, who Landis pulled out of a hat at his pre-hearing press conference last week:

Pulling Big Tex into an issue like this isn't something you do lightly, not when he's been one of your biggest supporters. My guess is that Lance's press conference was about as spontaneous as a May Day parade in Cuba.

VeloNews covers Day 2 of the Landis hearings by providing a list of potential wittinesses that may appear during the remainder of the proceeding:

Among them is Greg LeMond, the first American to win the Tour de France, and a vocal critic of doping in cycling. LeMond won the Tour title in 1986, and then two more times in 1989 and '90. He was listed on the USADA side of the ledger, one spot above former pro cyclist Joe Papp

France 24 picks up an AFP piece the potential witness list for the Landis hearings which includes some of those who have worked at the LNDD. Of particular interest seems to be the former cycling champions Eddie Merckx and Greg LeMond.


Blogs
Cyclingfans.com has a wealth of pre-Vrijiman Report information on the LNDD that hasn't really seen the light of day for a long time

CrystelZENmud has been busy today, he is now feeling concern about the recent audit/accredidation of the LNDD by COFRAC:

ZENmud is suggesting, faithful readers, that COFRAC has no searchable data on the LNDD, which we have been assured is breathtakingly ahead of the scientific curve, able to develop strong new tests in a single bound! In an hour of time on this website, I find (famous last words?) evidence of 'testing request paperwork' but no archive (same word in FR) in which they publicly post the required data.

Bar Rock, News, and Views is among a long list of blogs that posts the strategy of the Landis defense team in attempting to prove the LNDD incompetent.

Partmule.com takes note of the Landis hearings.

Fingerfood thinks every day is game day, and he wishes he had more time to write about the Landis hearings, but for now he's pacing himself.

Rant Your Head Off has been working his head off and supplies updates about today's Landis hearings. In his final rant for the day ryho is thinking that with today's testimony by Cynthia Mongongu USADA may be trying to do some premeptive damage control. We shall see tomorrow when team Landis gets to cross.

The RoadBike.com notes the real concerns expressed by Team Landis attorney Maurice Suh today about the translator who was working with USADA witness Cynthia Mongongu.

Sports Filter notes to Landis hearings have begun, and thanks for the nice plug.

20 Million Minutes summarizes how the proceedings work, and goes over the potential witness list that seems to have everyone's interest peaked. In particular he is intrigued by exactly what Greg Le Mond might say. Also, thanks for the plug!