Floyd's Still Kickin'

If you haven't been keeping up, there has been lots going on concerning Floyd. Yes, he's still kickin' and with that resurfaced hip I'm sure with a lot less pain.

For all thing concering Floyd be sure to check out Trust But Verify for the latest updates. This sight is on top of everything that has to do with Floyd's case. I hit it daily to catch up.

At first I was all in Floyd's camp. Then with word of the exogenous testosterone my faith was slipping fast. Now with the release of all the documents that Floyd has made available and following some of the discussion by a few very intelligent people on the Daily Peleton Forum I'm getting the faith back. I sure hope that after this all is said and done that the TRUTH will have come out, no matter for or against Floyd. But I have to say I do hope the truth is that he didn't dope.

Floyd Landis Doping Allegations - Updates

Trust but Verify- News, Research and Commentary about the Floyd Landis doping allegations

This blog contains daily updated information on the Floyd Landis case.

Discovery Channel Team

Let the "silly season" begin. Pro-Tour Cycling is starting to look like Nascar with all of the team moves. It seems to me like there is much more movement among teams going on than normal.

Cyclingnews.com is reporting that Roger Hammond (Gbr) has not revealed his future plans but he will definitely not be returning to the Discovery team for the '07 season. That is a bit suprising to me.

Discovery has lost several riders for next year, whether it is by their choice or not. The flowing riders will not be with Discovery Channel in '07.

Roger Hammond (Gbr) - Unknown
Paolo Savoldelli (Ita) - Astana
Jurgen Van den Broeck (Bel) - Davitamon-Lotto
Leif Hoste (Bel) - Davitamon-Lotto
Manuel Beltran (Spa) - Liquigas
José “Ace” Azevedo (Por) - Benfica (Portugal Domestic Team)
Max van Heeswijk (Ned) - Rabobank
Viatchslev "Eki" Ekimov (Rus) - Retirement (to remain with the team as DS)

I hate to see Hoste and Van De Broeck leave. Hoste is a very strong classics rider and VDB is a young rider with great potential.

Discovery has already announced the addition of 3 riders to the '07 squad.

Levi Leipheimer (USA) - Gerolsteiner
Sergio Paulinho (Por) - Astana
Thomas Vaitkus (Lth) - Ag2r
Gianni Meersman (Bel) - Neo Pro

Phonak to be disband

Floyd's former team will cease to exist after the end of the season. With the history of team rider doping cases and uncertainty of the renewal of their ProTour license they were unable to secure sponsorship for the 2007 season. So team owner Andy Rihs decided to call it quits.

Phonak stops [cyclingnews.com]
Phonak no more [eurosport.com]
End of the road for Phonak [velonews.com]
Team Statement [Phonak Team Website]

WADA Chairman - Dick Pound

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Dick Pound is a partner of leading Canadian law firm Stikeman Elliott and the chairman of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) based in Montreal. He is a former vice-president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and was a one-time candidate for the presidency of that organization.,

He is no fan of Lance Armstrong or cycling in general.

But I have to laugh everytime that I read his name in a news article. I guess it is my "jr high" sense of humor. Go figure. But can you imagine the crap that this guy caught in Jr High. Maybe that is why he is such a douche bag.

Saul Raisin (CA) Takes Another Major Step in Recovery

Saul Raisin (Credit Agricole) hit the road for an hour and a half training ride on Tuesday (8/8). That was his first time riding on the road since a six day stint in a coma resulting from his life threatening crash on April 4th in the first stage of the Circuit de la Sarthe. Saul has been putting in some serious time on his stationary trainer, sessions of up to 4hrs (ouch!). He just recently tested his balance on this rollers prior to hitting the open road.

Raisin racing to recover

Let's hope that we see Saul back in the pro peloton soon.

Tour of Germany - Final Report

In stage 7, the ITT, Jens Voigt (CSC) crushed the field. He hung just over 1 minute on his closest challenger, Laszlo Bodrogi (Credit Agricole). The big GC guys, Levi Leipheimer (Gerolsteiner) and Andrey Kashechkin (Astana) finished 1.14 and 1.20, respectively, off Voigt's blistering pace. With that performance Voigt locks up the Tour of Germany GC.

Stage 8 was for the sprinters. The final chance for Erik Zabel (Milram) to take a stage win in this years Tour of Germany. But he was again denied. Graeme Brown (Rabobank) took his second stage win of this tour.

Voigt secured the general classification followed by Leipheimer, Kashechkin, Vladimir Gusev (Discovery) and Evgeni Petrov (Lampre).

Tour of Germany - Stage 6

Where in the hell did Jens Voigt(CSC) find those climbing legs? I would like to get me a set. A rider known for his breakaways and attacks but not exactly for his climbing was able to hang with the "climbers" today. Not only did he hang with them but was able to counter an attack by Leipheimer(Gerolsteiner) in the last 500m to take the stage win and hold onto the yellow jersey.

The final GC standings will be decided in tomorrows individual time trial.

Results
1 Jens Voigt (Ger) Team CSC 5.11.48 (37.83 km/h)
2 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Gerolsteiner 0.02
3 Andrey Kashechkin (Kaz) Astana Team 0.08
4 Evgeni Petrov (Rus) Lampre-Fondital 0.10
5 Stefan Schumacher (Ger) Gerolsteiner 0.36
6 Johann Tschopp (Swi) Phonak Hearing Systems 0.41
7 Eddy Mazzoleni (Ita) T-Mobile Team
8 Pablo Lastras Garcia (Spa) Caisse d'Epargne-Illes Balears
9 Anton Luengo Celaya (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi
10 Inigo Cuesta Lopez De Castro (Spa) Team CSC
11 Vladimir Gusev (Rus) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 0.47

GC after Stage 6
1 Jens Voigt (Ger) Team CSC 27.39.29
2 Levi Leipheimer (USA) Gerolsteiner 0.24
3 Evgeni Petrov (Rus) Lampre-Fondital 0.56
4 Vladimir Gusev (Rus) Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team 1.00
5 Andrey Kashechkin (Kaz) Astana Team 1.03

Floyd's Fate - B Sample Analysis Confirms Original Results

The UCI released the following statement that Floyd's B sample confirmed the A results indicating an elevated T/E ratio.

The adverse analytical finding from Floyd Landis is confirmed
The UCI communicates that the analysis of the sample B of Floyd Landis’s urine has confirmed the result of an adverse analytical finding notified by the Anti-doping laboratory of Paris on 26th July, following the analysis of the sample A.

In accordance to the Anti-doping rules, the Anti-doping Commission of the UCI will request that the USA Cycling Federation open a disciplinary procedure against the rider.

Phonak also released a statement on the team website.

Phonak Cycling Team to clarify consequences
The Phonak Cycling Team has learned today from the International Cycling Union (UCI) that team captain Floyd Landis’s B sample has also resulted in a positive finding of doping. As a result, Landis will be dismissed without notice for violating the team’s internal Code of Ethics. Landis will continue to have legal options to contest the findings. However, this will be his personal affair and the Phonak team will no longer be involved in that. Team owner Andy Rihs deeply regrets this development. At present, he is clarifying with all parties involved what consequences this may have for his company ARcycling AG, the operator of the Phonak Cycling Team. Andy Rihs and Team Manager John Lelangue will make in-depth statements regarding this matter at a media conference to be held in the next couple of days.

In layman's terms, Floyd don't let the door hit you in the ass.

Floyd's Fate - B Sample Results Due at 5am EST

The UCI will be releasing the results of Floyd's B sample tests at 10:00am CET (5:00am EST) tomorrow (Aug 5). I'll post something as soon as they are available.

Cycling.tv Vuelta Coverage

Cycling.tv has just announced that they will be broadcasting full live (and archived) coverage of every stage of this years Vuelta. You can get this service for the low low price of 19.99 Euro (approx $28 USD).

Tour of Germany - Stage 3

A 19 year old rider from a non-ProTour Team shows them how its done. It was a stage for the sprinters with only 2 small catagory 3 climbs. Marco Pinotti (Saunier Duval) launched a solo attack early in the stage and stayed away until 25km remaining in the stage. He ran the gap out to 6+ minutes but with his current standing in the GC (142nd 9'23") he was kept well in check by Gusev's Discovery boys.

In the final 20k several attempted attacks were squashed as the sprinters teams came to the front to control things. Lampre and Milram drove it for the most part. With 2k to go Lorenzo Bernucci (T-Mobile) took a flier but was reeled in before the 1k banner. Liquigas lauched their leadout with still 500m to go to the line. Zabel (Milram) was well positioned and opened his sprint inside of 200m. With 50m to go 19 year old Gerald Ciolek (Wiesenhof-Akud) timed it perfectly coming around the ride side to take stage 3 of the Tour of Germany.

Stage 3 Results:
1 Gerald Ciolek (Ger) Team Wiesenhof Akud
2 Erik Zabel (Ger) Team Milram
3 André Greipel (Ger) T-Mobile Team
4 Luke Roberts (Aus) Team CSC
5 Mark Renshaw (Aus) Credit Agricole


GC after Stage 3
1 Vladimir Gusev (Rus) Discovery Channel 4.49.47
2 Erik Zabel (Ger) Team Milram
3 Linus Gerdemann (Ger) T-Mobile Team 0.01
4 Davide Rebellin (Ita) Gerolsteiner 0.07
5 Inigo Cuesta Lopez De Castro (Spa) Team CSC 0.10
6 Jens Voigt (Ger) Team CSC 0.11
7 Alexandre Vinokourov (Kaz) Astana Team
8 Nick Nuyens (Bel) Quick Step-Innergetic 0.13
9 Evgeni Petrov (Rus) Lampre-Fondital 0.14

Floyd's Fate - B Testing is Underway

The testing of Floyd's B sample got underway on Thursday (Aug 3). According to cyclingnews.com, representatives of US Anti-Doping Agency and the UCI as well as Jose Maria Buxeda, Landis' Spanish attorney, were present.

Floyd should know the fate of his B sample on Saturday. I must say that with all of the information that has made its way out, I'm not too optimistic. Goodluck Floyd.