Landis not hero cycling needed

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July 28, 2006

By Jeff Mullin Commentary The Enid News and Eagle Fri Jul 28, 2006, 11:37 PM CDT

A few weeks ago in this space, some idiot decried the failure of American athletes on the world stage.

Just call me Mr. Idiot.

The U.S., as the prior piece mentioned, did come up empty in both soccer’s World Cup and Wimbledon’s tennis championships.

But the statement, “There still are Americans involved in bicycling’s Tour (de France), but none are serious contenders,” proved false.

Could you please pass the mustard? I need it to make this crow go down easier.

Not only did an American contend in cycling’s most prestigious event, but he won. Floyd Landis, a Pennsylvanian raised in a conservative Mennonite family, overcame a chronic hip ailment and a poor late-stage performance to win the Tour de France, following in the footsteps of former U.S. champions Lance Armstrong and Greg LeMond.

It was a heart-warming, inspirational story, of a former teammate of seven-time winner Armstrong stepping into the spotlight and overcoming great physical pain to capture cycling’s biggest prize.

And the story of course, given the cynical age in which we live, was bound to be spoiled by something. Indeed it was, when Landis tested positive for abnormally high testosterone levels during the Tour’s 17th stage, which sparked his comeback victory. He denies using a banned substance, saying the occurrence was natural, the result of his metabolism. He could be stripped of his crown if he fails a test on a backup blood sample.

Regardless of his guilt or innocence, Landis’ victory is tainted, which is the last thing cycling needs. A cloud of suspicion already hangs over the sport, which saw several top riders miss this year’s Tour because of suspensions over a doping scandal.

In a sport that desperately needed a hero, cycling got in Landis yet another competitor with a cloud hanging over his head.

Mullin is News & Eagle senior writer.

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