The Embarrassment That is Floyd Landis

Lately I have been asked several times about the allegations by Floyd Landis that he used performance enhancing drugs, and that Lance Armstrong did too.

Setting aside for a moment the question, "Is Lance Clean," let's take a look at the history of Floyd Landis.

Floyd was a lieutenant on the USPS racing team during the golden area when Lance was winning one tour after another (1999-2005.) After Lance retired, Floyd won the Tour de France in remarkable fashion.  He was systematically gaining time, and had a firm grip on the lead.  Then he dramatically had a meltdown on a mountain stage.  He bonked and dehydrated, and lost many minutes to the leaders.  But then, with seemingly no chance to win, the next day he made a performance that was utterly amazing.



It was truly phenomenal.  I remember watching it live, jaw hitting the ground.  Everyone was beside themselves with joy....another American Champion!!!  Then--surprise surprise--he failed a drug test, but not after receiving the yellow jersey and accolades for winning the Tour.  He was accused of placing a testerone patch on his scrotum, and he claimed it was a result of drinking Jack Daniels (go TN!) the night before the stage.  He was disgraced, stripped of his title, and we all said "WTF just happened?" 

Landis spent the next 4 years proclaiming his innocence.  Generous benefactors donated tens of thousands of dollars towards his legal defense.  For FOUR YEARS, he swore he never used performance enhancing drugs.  He got his necrotic hip replaced. There was Lemond-Moleste-Gate.  Then there was Drug-Lab-Computer-Hack-Gate.

And finally......he admited he used drugs, and everyone else did too, including Lance.  Floyd may be telling the truth now, but the problem is the credibility that the last 4 years he vehemently denied that he ever used drugs. 

In usual excellent form, Bike Snob NYC explains the problem with Floyd Landis' "confession:" 

For several days after the Floyd-Cheats-and-Lance-Does-Too-Gate had broke, floydlandis.com remained unchanged.  The website called Floyd Landis the "Winner of the Tour de France," and "An American Hero."  More amazingly, it refered to Floyd as being "unfairly accused of using performance enhancing drugs."  FLYODLANDIS.COM denied he had used PEDS while he had sent a press release to the media that he had!  WHAT THE HECK!!!

Landis, for all his faults, at least has good taste in early 90's metal.  He lists on his website the lyrics to Metallica's "Wherever I May Roam:"

And the road becomes my bride
I have stripped of all but pride
So in her I do confide
And she keeps me satisfied
Gives me all I need

And with dust in throat I crave
Only knowledge will I save
To the game you stay a slave

Roamer, wanderer
Nomad, vagabond
Call me what you will

Landis may be a douche, and Metallica may be a bunch of douchebags too (remember the Napster thing?) but at least they rock.