Tour cheat Landis hits back after team axe

Published on Sunday 6 August 2006 00:13

FLOYD Landis has vowed to clear his name after the disgraced American cyclist was sacked by his team following confirmation he had tested positive for excessive levels of testosterone in winning this year's Tour de France.

The International Cycling Union (UCI) confirmed yesterday that a B sample taken from Landis had tested positive, backing up the A sample which had found an "unusual" level of testosterone/epitestosterone.

Within minutes of the verdict, Phonak released a statement saying they had terminated the 30-year-old's contract for "violating the team's internal code of ethics".

Landis is now expected to be stripped of his title and faces a two-year suspension from the sport.

But the cyclist maintains his innocence, claiming his body naturally produces high levels of testosterone, and has vowed to contest the charges.

"I have never taken any banned substance, including testosterone," he said on his own website.

"I was the strongest man in the Tour de France, and that is why I am the champion.

"I will fight these charges with the same determination and intensity that I bring to my training and racing.

"It is now my goal to clear my name and restore what I worked so hard to achieve."

Landis's attorney, Howard Jacobs, was also in bullish mood ahead of what is likely to be a lengthy appeal process.

"In consultation with some of the leading medical and scientific experts, we will prove that Floyd Landis' victory in the 2006 Tour de France was not aided in any respect by the use of any banned substances," he said.

Phonak decided to dismiss Landis, despite his intention to appeal against the verdict.

It said: "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."