About mid fall I heard that Floyd Landis was coming back and going to be riding domestically for what used to be Health-Net. To say I was stoked is a bit of an understatement. I remember the first story I read about Floyd in one of Lance's books where he described this young kid with lots of talent who on a day off sat at a coffee shop in Gerona, Spain and drank 13 espressos just to see if he could. If you know me, you know why I was instantly a fan of Floyd.
Most people by now know of Floyd Landis as the winner of the 2006 Tour de France who then had his title stripped because of an abnormally high testosterone ratio. Floyd is probably the one case in cycling where I really don't feel like he doped. I'm no scientist but what I do know about how testosterone works as a doping agent doesn't fit the description that he's accused of using it. (Nobody reading this wants these details.) It's also been proven that the machines the French lab used to test the samples on were not calibrated correctly and standard lab procedures were essentially ignored. Both of these factors, if you ask people that work in labs, can grossly effect the results of any test. There are those people who think the French were using Floyd as a way to try and get to Lance. I don't know, I don't usually give conspiracy theorist much attention, but, there was definitely a group of people who decided they needed to make an example out of someone. Unfortunately for Floyd, they pulled his number.
But, screw all that. It's over. To any real fan we all know that Floyd won the 2006 Tour and that's what matters. With a lot of big comebacks, namely one Mr. Armstrong, Floyd's is going to be overshadowed a bit. But, for Floyd that's ok. He clams up in the spot light. But, since he's racing domestically all year it's going to be huge for a sport that is struggling to find sponsorship in our current economic wonderland. Races like the Tour of Utah that are really close to being a race with recognition will now have a big time name with a big time domestic fan base lining up on day one. And that is huge! So whatever people say about Lance bringing great press to cycling is probably true, but that press is mainly going to be overseas. Floyd's going to be doing it at home and I'm super stoked that I'm going to get the chance to see him race a few times this year.
Here's to hoping Floyd gives them hell. And, what's not to like about a guy who eats In-N-Out for lunch instead of weighing his boiled chicken?
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