Saturday, August 05, 2006

Phlandis Phinished?

As expected, the B sample has come back positive. The Phonak statement is:

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.

The Phlandis statement is:

It is widely known that the test in question, given as a urine sample after my victorious ride on stage 17 of the Tour de France, returned an abnormal T/E ratio from the “A” sample. I want to be entirely clear about one point of the test that has not been fairly reported in the press or expressed in any statements made by international or national governing bodies; the T value returned has been determined to be in the normal range. The E value returned was LOW, thus causing the skewed ratio. This evidence supports my assertion that I did not use testosterone to improve my performance. I emphatically deny any claims that I used testosterone to improve my performance.

At this point there's not really much to add. Phonak has cut Phlandis loose and the conventional wisdom says that we won't see him on a pro bike race for two years. Buenos tardes, amigo.

6 comments:

LvilleTex said...

Pete, you don't seemed as incensed as me (I). i guess i had hope and he dashed it, all of it. who do we (Americans) root for now? George can't. Levi prob can't. Tom Danielson prob can't. who? Pereiro?

Yokota Fritz said...

Pereiro isn't trash-talking anybody, which shows class on his part.

LvilleTex said...

except now he says ""Right now I feel like the winner of the Tour de France". right, you really earned it.

"http://velonews.com/news/fea/10650.0.html"

Frostbike said...

I don't think saying he feels like the winner is trash talk. It may be a bit premature, but from all accounts it most likely will be a true statement.

rigtenzin said...

IF Floyd won by cheating, then Pereiro earned it.

LvilleTex said...

You're both right, but Pereiro's win feels pretty cheap to me. Much luck and little bravado. If he can back it up with some other excellent rides, then I'll take it as less serendipitous.