Tuesday Roundup

News
The Daily Herald covered last night's Wheaton, Il. Borders appearance by Floyd Landis who is on a book tour for "Positively False". Though many people in attendance believe in Landis himself, many others believe the science was flawed and support him on that basis, and one person still thinks that "roid rage" explains the fist in the air after Stage 17.

The Naperville Sun also covered last night's book signing near Chicago which included a Landis fashion report. Even though some of the estimated 100 who attended the event feel that doping in cycling is not emphasized enough by the media Landis feels differently:

At one point in the book, Landis claims he was presumed guilty by the media and told Monday's crowd that he feels the media play up the doping scandals in his sport.

"Part of the problem is that it's not quite as obvious as the press would like to make it," he said. "Certainly if it was as clear as it appears to be that there was a culture of (doping), then the clean riders, whomever you might identify them as being, would be more upset about it. Apart from just telling you and hoping you take my word for it (because) I don't have any way of proving it, there are far more clean riders out there who deserve more credit and aren't getting it."

The CyclingNews was also at the Wheaton, Il. booksigning last night and reported several hundred largely supportive people in attendance. Floyd Landis wrote "Positively False" with Bicycling's Loren Mooney, who Floyd credits as doing most of the work pointing out that he has never written a book before. It also quotes Landis on the arbitration decision that is anticipated to be announced any day now:

Of course, people wanted to know when the decision was going to come down, and if it is against him, if he will appeal. "My lawyers have not heard anything," he said. "There is no real timeline except for a ten day minimum after the hearing closes. It depends on what the ruling says. I really believe there is very little chance I would not appeal it. I don't know what they could possibly write that would convict me. But if they say 'we just don't like the guy', then it is going to be hard to appeal that!

"I hope it is soon, but I also hope it doesn't take away from the guys who are racing this year. They deserve more credit than they are getting.

The CyclingNews also posted an earlier piece dedicated to the book signing in which Landis expressed options on Lance Armstrong, and also spoke more about the current Tour de France. The attendance at the various events was also mentioned:

When asked about the size of the crowds, Landis' publicist Brooke Emerson said that the crowds so far have been at least 300-400 people per stop. Local store employees said that the crowd was one of their bigger, with only Ted Nugent and Christian music artist Steven Curtis Chapman bringing in larger crowds.

"I appreciate the support and to see you all out here," he said. But let's cheer the guys [in the Tour] on now."

The Evening Bulletin PA snarks that if Americans cared about cycling and drugs or just cycling more they might not have viewed Floyd Landis' fight against doping allegations with a collective yawn. No one here is tired, yet.


VOA recently talked to Floyd Landis about "Positively False" when Landis was in Washington, DC last week on his current book tour.

Media
CPR Insight promotes the Landis book tour stop in Sacramento,CA July 13, at the Borders, and also lists a Floyd Landis appearance on the NPR station KXJZ's "Insight" program today from 2-3 PM PDT. Click on the CPR logo at the top of the page and you should be able to listen to the program live.


NPR's Talk of the Nation is promoting an appearance by Floyd Landis scheduled for tomorrow. Check your local NPR listings, or go to the Talk of the Nation web site for podcast downloads.



EMail
An emailer passes this on:

Phil Liggett commented in the British ITV TdeF coverage this evening
said of the FL appeal "we understand that the final outcome might well
happen on Friday of this week". No mention of the source for his
information but Phil is usually pretty well informed and connected.

Blogs
Rant writes a great report on his ride today with Floyd Landis in the Chicago suburbs. Take a close look at the pic Rant included.

Chicago Bike Racing was also there, thanks for the plug.

A Feast on Wheels, Bonnie DiSimone's blog from the Tour de France, notes that the official translator of the tour was lured from her position to one of the teams with what seemed to Bonnie far less drama that the Landis arbitration hearing translator fiasco.

Active.com/Hildenbrand notes some of the hypocrisy going on at the ASO regarding Riis and Landis -- dragging in the legacies of Thevenet (who beat Merckx) and Virenque under the headline, "Say What?"

Racejunkie laments the fact that Floyd Landis is pimping his book "Positively False" rather than riding his bike in this year's Tour de France. He imagines Floyd slumped in a chair at night in his hotel room with a can of beer watching the race. Cheerful. It's almost certainly a bottled beer, please; see the picture in Rant's report above.

Neil@Road was ever so amused in the past by the Floyd Landis / Dave Z elfin video, now he says Discovery has rescued him from boredom with it's own video entertainment.

My Particular Harbour after the mess Floyd Landis found himself in last year, wants things to be uneventful at the TdF this year.

The Daily Spin gives us the cycling news of the day, including some news on the Landis book tour.

Rant adds to his report on the Wheaton Il. event, relating some things that Landis said about Phonak, riding when young, mountain biking, the culture of doping, future prospects, and whether he'd appeal. Pictures in a different post include Liz Ranfeld, known better as Lij: 30-Sep, 28-Oct, 4-Jan, 6-Mar, 17-May, 19-Jun, and our fave from 8-Aug-06:

So let's put it this way: if you criticize him and don't let me know that you're joking, I might get a little defensive and shout about you on my blog.

Biking Bis flaks the Seattle appearance, and notes DeCanio/Clinger's charges earlier in the week. We always like the plug.

Go Faster Jim! takes Landis's exhortation to cheer for the guys at the tour as his quote of the day.

Buddah Diaries is taking the advice, and tuning in this year, because he loves the event.

Railbird compares the horse trainer Biancone to Landis. Perhaps he should have used one of the alleged doping doctors instead, but Landis is now the symbol to the public at large, for whom "Fuentes" is a "who-dat?"

Bicycling Sitting In thinks it would be a real shame if Dave Z doesn't win the Lanterne Rouge this year, and it looks like he has a chance at it. Not much Landis content, but as Dave is a buddy it's close enough:

We Americans, in contrast, are appallingly focused on the podium. We may have won either 10 or 11 of the past 21 Tours (depending on what happens with Floyd Landis) but, sadly, in the long history of the world’s greatest race we’ve never brought a shining red light back home. That’s where Zabriskie comes in. After Tuesday’s Stage 3, he was sitting 186th out of 187 — ideally positioned for the best loss in the sports, and carrying a bit of poetry with him, as well. What could be more rapturous than the racer known as the Z-Man winning America’s first last place?We Americans, in contrast, are appallingly focused on the podium. We may have won either 10 or 11 of the past 21 Tours (depending on what happens with Floyd Landis) but, sadly, in the long history of the world’s greatest race we’ve never brought a shining red light back home. That’s where Zabriskie comes in. After Tuesday’s Stage 3, he was sitting 186th out of 187 — ideally positioned for the best loss in the sports, and carrying a bit of poetry with him, as well. What could be more rapturous than the racer known as the Z-Man winning America’s first last place?

Landis has been encouraging Z-man, noting that he's 3 days in and still on his bike.

Today's Velonews video with Z shows him happy to be losing time, since he isn't trying for the win. With today's stage, he is solidifying his position at the tail of the field.

PJ's Pope Watch has black smoke: Another day, nothing.

Scout is Dead says Landis will be on Carson Daly on July 19th.

Adrianne Blue says we should just legalize drugs in sport, the same way we legalized paying athletes. Guess who is used as an example.

JeffmanSports thinks everybody has cheated, except Armstrong. Landis tested twice for high testosterone, according to Jeff.

Abby Normal loves the tour, and Landis, but is willing to punish him if he did cheat.

Johnny Baseball/Finger Food laughed at Basso's whining about getting tested last week, citing Landis' test in August last year. He also looks at the utility of testosterone in cycling, and runs into TAF.

No Landis content, but Carmichael gives a good tip-o-the-hat to today's Cancellara win, and explains the tactics that made it work. I'll try anyway: it was tactics that made the break on S17 work, an attack when the pack wasn't expecting one. Now, if he'd only been free to attack before the top of the Croix-Fry...