Landis as of Saturday, July 29

What I currently understand of the Floyd Landis testing situation is that he's have an "adverse analytical finding" on his A sample for a T/E ratio exceeding the screening value of 4:1. Rumours suggest a reported ratio of 11:1, but this is, so far, andecotal. German TV is claiming to have received a suggestion that there was a finding that something was artificial rather than natural; if so that would either indicate doping of some sort or test contamination. However, this allegation has not been confirmed, and it is not clear if the spectroscopic test necessary to make the determination was done on the A sample.

One suspicion is that Floyd has a naturally low E-value, making swings in the ratio more likely with changes in the T value. Of the 'natural' defenses I've seen, I'd probably want to try the exercise-induced-elevation reported here.

Generally, hormonal responses to demanding high-volume resistance exercise include increases in the first 30 minutes of recovery in testosterone, hGH, and cortisol. IGF-1 occurs after growth hormones have caused hepatic secretions, and insulin increases in the presence of elevated blood glucose and dietary supplements. Catecholamines are associated with demanding strenuous exercise and appear to be part of a psychophysiological response to high task challenges.

And

Implications. Tesosterone, hGH, IGF-1, and cortisol are tested in drug programs. Their elevation is likely to be unacceptable in individuals who naturally have above average resting levels, respond excessively to very demanding resistance training sessions, and are tested very close to exercise completion. To avoid invalid test results, athletes who are required to provide a urine sample after a body-builder-type resistance program should do the following:

• Stall as long as possible before providing the urine sample.
• Refrain from participating in any demanding resistance program, particularly those aimed at increasing muscle bulk.
• Resist post-exercise dietary (high protein/carbohydrate) supplements, despite that resistance not allowing the best training response.

Athletes undertaking a muscle building program are likely to be at greater risk for a false positive test after exercise than at any other time, solely because of natural events that do not fall under the exogenous-endogenous classification.

If ever there were someone who had done a lot of stressful exercise preceding sample production, it was the effort that Floyd had made in the last climb and in his anaerobic sprint to the line. The picture told the story - he was jacked up beyond anyone's memory.

If I were trying to do testing with him to prove innocence, I would quite possibly want to duplicate some of the things on the stage, with tests before and after.