First Edition Cycling News for November 17, 2006

Edited by Laura Weislo

French anti-doping agency "unprejudiced" in Landis case

By Hedwig Kröner

Pierre Bordry, President of the Châtenay-Malabry anti-doping laboratory (LNDD)
Photo ©: AFP

Following the announcement that an updated slide show, detailing the arguments used by Landis' defense team in his doping case, will be held on Friday, November 17, in Tucson, Arizona, the head of the French anti-doping agency (AFLD), Pierre Bordry, has reacted to French newspaper Le Monde. Bordry explained that "an administrative sanctioning procedure has been engaged since September 20" against the former Phonak rider, even though the AFLD lacks the right to sanction non-French sportsmen who compete on French soil, unlike its institutional predecessor.

"According to article 24 of the law passed on April 5, 2006, the agency continues the work started by the Conseil de prévention et de lutte contre le dopage (CPLD)," he said. "And the whole of the procedure regarding Mr. Landis has been engaged by the CPLD. We therefore keep our sanctioning competence, on French soil, in the Landis case." The AFLD has taken the place of the CPLD since October 1, 2006.

Bordry continued by saying that the legal team around Landis did not request the file of the disciplinary procedure against the 2006 Tour de France winner. "On September 20, I wrote to Mr. Landis, communicating him the elements regarding his positive test results for testosterone provided by the laboratory. I told him that all the pieces were at his disposal, that he could consult all the documents at any given time and that we were at his disposal to hear the arguments of his defense. He confirmed the reception of the letter, but didn't get back to us since."

Assuring that he did not have any prejudice against the rider, Bordry meanwhile criticised that Landis chose to expose his line of defense publicly. "For his defense, M. Landis uses all the legal means that he wants. If he reveals that the laboratory made errors - formal, or substantial - it would be good if we were officially informed so that we could respond, on the form or on the substance (of the accusations). However, I note that, at the moment, Mr. Landis prefers to organise press conferences to give his arguments: we're moving out of normal procedure here.

"I would like that the members of the AFLD could hear the opinion of either side, in contradictory fashion. At this point, I am unprejudiced. My concern is to hear Mr. Landis' arguments, as he has a right to defend himself, but I need to really dispose of all of them and not only those which he distills in a press conference or on the Internet. If these requirements are met, I will suggest, within the framework of the investigation, to invite all persons whose hearings would be useful."

When asked which would be his reaction if the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), which will judge the case in January, were to clear the rider because of the new elements brought to the case, Bordry said, "If the USADA doesn't sanction him, it means that it has legal reasons not to. We could have the same, because, and I repeat, we are unprejudiced."

Pierre Brodry was also the man who filed the official complaint with French police about the supposed violation of the central e-mail server of the Châtenay-Malabry anti-doping laboratory (LNDD). While French newspaper L'Equipe maintained in its Thursday edition that investigators had traced the fraudulent e-mails back to a person close to Landis, he said he had no confirmation of this. "I don't know anything about it at the moment," Bordry said. "I don't know who intruded (the server), nor why. I got the idea, while reading the documents, that somebody was trying to discredit the laboratory. But if I had any idea on the author, I would have indicated it in my complaint."

Bordry added that an audit of the laboratory's server security had been carried out since the intrusion, and that appropriate measures to protect the data had been taken.

Landis responds to hacking accusations

By Tim Maloney, European Editor

When Cyclingnews reached still 2006 Tour de France winner Floyd Landis at home in California, he was troubled to learn from earlier news reports of the continued security issues at the Châtenay-Malabry lab. Landis was emphatic when he stated that "any claims attributing these actions to me or my defense team are baseless, untrue, irresponsible and another example of the character assassination that I have faced since the initial allegations surfaced in July."

Concerning the admission by the LNDD lab at Châtenay-Malabry, France that Floyd's 'B' sample was misidentified, this confirms one of the many errors that Floyd and his defense team brought to public attention with their "wikipedia" defense in early October.

Landis' spokesman Michael Henson told Cyclingnews that "the correct identification of an athlete’s sample is fundamental to the integrity of the results management process. While the whole of the defense of Floyd Landis does not rest on this single mistake by the LNDD lab... this news validates our claim that there is more than enough fact-based evidence in the public material to prove Floyd's innocence. Last month, we requested additional testing information and documentation that is within the guidelines established by WADA, but that request has recently been denied by USADA."

Cyclingnews' coverage of the Floyd Landis case

May 29, 2009 - French authorities summon Landis and Baker
September 28, 2008 - Landis takes case to US federal court
September 10, 2008 - Landis signing with current Health Net-Maxxis team for 2009
July 1, 2008 - CAS delivers final blow to Landis legal challenge
June 30, 2008 - Landis loses final appeal
June 28, 2008 - Landis decision due Monday
March 12, 2008 - Landis' judgment day nears
October 21, 2007 - Landis files appeal with CAS
October 18, 2007 - AFLD takes another look at Landis case
Thursday, October 11 - Landis continues fight, appeals to CAS
Saturday, September 22 - UCI officially names Pereiro 2006 Tour champion, Landis case raises issues
Friday, September 21 - Landis' appeal denied, two year suspension levied

Cyclingnews' complete coverage of the Floyd Landis case

Tour de Georgia grows by a day

by Mark Zalewski, North American Editor

Tour of Georgia bottles
Photo ©: Jon Devich

This year's fifth Tour de Georgia will be a day longer, expanding from six days to an entire week-long event, according to race organisers. "It's the culmination of the event, going into year five now, it's an improvement that is due," Medalist Sports' Chris Aronhalt told Cyclingnews. "It goes back to the support from the community. We had more than twenty communities apply to host, showing that the support is there."

"Logistically, it gives us more freedom to highlight more of the state," he continued. "One of the improvements or excitements is the increase in the daily festivals and local celebrations. " The race will add the day at the beginning of the week, beginning on Monday, April 16 -- though where the race will begin is still unknown. "We plan on making our full route announcement next week," said Aronhalt, who was reached in Missouri in between meetings with host officials for the new Tour of Missouri. "We are seeing that there really is that undercurrent of cycling activity in Missouri," he commented.

The expansion to a full week comes without the announcement of a full title sponsor, with the Georgia Ford Dealers announcing last year that their one-year sponsorship of the event would not be renewed. However, Aronhalt believes that Medalist's announcement of the entire route next week illustrates the confidence they have in their current sponsors, as well as finding a title sponsor in time. "We do have several discussions in the works, not only title but other levels. But the confidence to announce the route shows our confidence in our sponsors."

When asked for a hint as to what is coming in next week's route announcement Aronhalt was quiet. When asked whether the time trial would be as difficult as last year's Lookout Mountain route, he did say, "The TT route will again feature the north Georgia mountains."

Bergamo is hopeful for the 2007 Giro d'Italia

By Gregor Brown

Cunego heads to Bergamo in 2004
Photo ©: Sirotti

The Giro d'Italia announcement is drawing nearer ever day and just yesterday, Cyclingnews reported the possibility of a mountain time trial in the 2007 Giro. According to tuttobiciweb.com there were inspectors representing RCS Sport, the organizers of the Giro, in Bergamo on Wednesday looking at possible stage arrival in the famed Lombardia city.

The last time the Corsa Rosa came close to Bergamo (in the same province) was in 2004, when Stefano Garzelli won in Presolana. For 2007 the organizing committee is proposing two options, one that would finish in Città Alta and another one that would finish in the lower part of Bergamo.

The slated date is May 26, and the Bergamo organizing committee, which includes Felice Gimondi and Ivan Gotti, are proposing crossing though Valtellina, covering the Passo San Marco and then entering the province of Bergamo via Val Brembana. Once in Bergamo, the riders could ascend into Città Alta, using the same roads that for so many years hosted the finish of the Giro di Lombardia, or climb in the direction of Boccola. The second option would take them under Porta San Lorenzo, over Colle Aperto and into the lower part of Bergamo.

If the second option is used, Gimondi is hopeful that the organizers will decide to finish the stage in front of the Teatro Donizetti, where the rider from Bergamo won a stage of the 1976 Giro. Gimondi, and the rest of the cycling world, will know the exact details when the full route of the 90th Giro d'Italia is announced on December 2nd in Milano.

Teutenberg breaks both clavicles

Lars Teutenberg
Photo ©: Luc Claessen

A mere 15 minutes into the second race on the first evening of the Munich six day, Lars Teutenberg's run in the event was suddenly over. The German was racing in the madison event with teammate Erik Weispfennig, when he found himself in a bad situation. Fellow German Andreas Beikirch touched wheels with another rider and fell. Teutenberg told Cyclingnews' Gregor Brown, "There was a wave up in the bunch and Beikirch hit the back wheel in front of him and felt left over directly in front of me. I hit him [at] around 55 km/h (SRM data) and started flying."

The racing had to be stopped for more than 10 minutes as medics attended to Teutenberg, who had broken both clavicles in the fall. Beikrich was able to continue, but Teutenberg wasn't so lucky. It's unusual for a rider to fracture both clavicles in a fall, and Teutenberg couldn't shed any light onto how it may have happened. He said he had a "hard touchdown on the right side. But [I have] no clue how I made the second bone snap." It will be six weeks before he can get back onto the bike, but he hopes to be ready for the Stuttgart six day in January.

A short while after the racing resumed Erik Zabel was involved in a crash with Stefan Löffler and Sebastian Frey, but all were able to continue, and Zabel showed no ill-effect of the fall, as he went on to win the night and the Munich six day overall with partner Bruno Risi.

Canadian Cycling names new CEO

The Canadian Cycling Association has announced the appointment of Lorraine Lafrenière to the office of Chief Executive Officer / Secretary General. Lafrenière has most recently held the post of chief operating officer of the Coaching Association of Canada (CAC).

Ms. Lafrenière comes from a background in high-tech industries, having been a director of marketing for a technology company. In 1996, she was the press chief of the Canadian team at the Olympics Games in Atlanta, and from there went on to work with several national sport organizations. She has since been involved with other Olympic games, PanAm games, and world championships, as well as starting her own communications company. She will join CCA on January 2, 2007.

"I am looking forward to contributing to the development of all aspects of Canadian cycling with our partners," said. Lafrenière. "I feel very motivated to be working in an organization which places its priority on the athletes."

Second Gerolsteiner-Tour-Festival in 2007

The Gerolsteiner-Tour-Festival, a weekend cycling event held in Germany's hilly Eifel region, will be taking place for the second time next year from May 11-13. Organisers expect over 3,000 participants in the multiple races planned, which include an individual time trial over 30km, a marathon, a team time trial over 37km and a junior race.

Online registration for the event started this Wednesday on November 15. A cycling trade show, training rides with team members of the ProTour squad Gerolsteiner, live acts, interviews and work shops will round out the weekend. More information can be found on www.tour-festival.de.

Harmon joins Kelly on London-Paris Cycle Tour 2007

The London-Paris Cycle Tour announced that David Harmon, one of the UK’s leading television commentators for professional cycle racing will be joining Sean Kelly for the 2007 event, a multi-stage, 600km ride. Harmon rode as an elite mountain bike racer before moving into television, and becoming the anchor commentator for Eurosport’s cycling coverage, where he regularly pairs with Sean Kelly.

Commenting on the London-Paris cycle tour, he said "I'm really looking forward to this endurance ride and have made this my major goal for 2007. I am sure that my colleague, Sean Kelly will be happy to take my advice on training!" To which Sean Kelly, seven times winner of Paris-Nice replied, "It will give me great pleasure to show David the way to Paris!"

Sven Thiele, founder and chairman of the London-Paris cycle tour, said "Having David Harmon join us is wonderful news. David has also promised us that he will be MC for the Tour and be hosting the prize giving in Paris. His knowledge and passion for the sport will help motivate the entire peloton." The London-Paris cycle tour will take place form June 28-July 1, 2007.

Previous News    Next News

(All rights reserved/Copyright Knapp Communications Pty Limited 2006)