Landis turns on UCI
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ByEurosport
Published 08/08/2006 at 07:55 GMT
Tour de France winner Floyd Landis has turned on the International Cycling Union (UCI), blaming them for leaking the test results of his A sample that revealed high levels of testosterone in his body after stage 17 of the Tour de France.
CYCLING 2006 Tour de France Floyd Landis
Image credit: dpa
Soon after news of the the positive test broke, the American tried to justify the results, though now has admitted he regrets taking this step.
"I've come out in the press and tried to explain these test results, but I think that was a mistake. I was forced into this situation because of leaks from the UCI," said Landis
A host of possible causes were subsequently put forward as to why the ratio of testosterone to epitestosterone in his body was so high, though Landis has now distances himself from some of those explanations.
"All of these reasons that have come up, some from me, some from other people, we need to forget about them and let the experts figure out what's going on."
The former Phonak rider and his team-mates claimed after stage 16, where Landis lost ten minutes on his rivals, that they sat around drinking beer and whisky, a factor that some said may have affected the test results.
"The whisky idea was not mine and the dehydration was a theory from the lawyers I hired in Spain to represent me at the opening of the B sample. But I did not authorise them to say something like that so I'm disappointed with that" he added.
In an earlier interview with American daily USA Today, Landis pointed out:
"I was tested eight times at the Tour; four times before that stage and three times after, including three blood tests. Only one came back positive. Nobody in their right mind would take testosterone just once; it doesn't work that way. Zero chance."
UCI President Pat McQuaid condemned the rider for what he perceived as ignoring the major issue - that of the positive tests.
"I find this very sad," McQuaid said. "These are outside issues. What Floyd has to deal with are the results of his tests."
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