Fast turns

The Floyd Landis doping case takes a bizarre path | John Dawson

If embattled cycling star Floyd Landis isn't guilty of doping during his now-legendary 2006 Tour de France victory, his reputation may be forever marred, anyway. In the midst of an arbitration hearing in May that Landis had hoped would help clear his name and allow him to retain his 2006 Tour victory, the cyclist admitted that his reputation at least is permanently damaged.

"It will be forever connected to me," Landis said of the accusations that he used synthetic testosterone. "I can't imagine how that would change." Not now. Not after a day of testimony by three-time Tour winner Greg LeMond who told of the two cyclists' bizarre relationship over much of the past year.

After two French lab tests confirmed high levels of synthetic testosterone in two Landis urine samples, LeMond phoned Landis, pleading with the Tour champion to come clean for the sake of a sport mired by doping. In sworn testimony on May 17, LeMond said Landis was unresponsive to his plea. According to LeMond, Landis said, "What good would it do? It would destroy a lot of my friends and hurt a lot of people." In testimony a day later, Landis said he never implied an admission of guilt.