American cyclist Floyd Landis has not only admitted to systematic use of performance-enhancing drugs, but also accused seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong of involvement in doping. Armstrong has denied the allegations.
Do you believe Armstrong or Landis?
Thu May 20, 2010 1:08 PM EDT
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I swear people like this crack me up….he gets caught doing something so to deflect from himself he points the finger at someone else like that makes what he did any better and there’s no proof about Lance anyway….what a loser landis is.
Absolutely right! When I read this it sounded just like our politicians screaming it was all the banks fault. Landis would make a good Congressman and has just as much credibility.
I believe you are innocent until proven guilty, Landis is guilty, Armstrong is innocent, end of story.
Armstrong innocent?? It is the end of Armstrong!!!
Why no option for "I don't have the faintest idea, I wasn't there, and 'he-said-he-said' isn't proof?" It always amazes me how quick people are to form opinions when they don't have enough information.
Armstrong is the most tested athlete of all time. If he was doing it they would have caught him. Nobody is that good. Armstrong's dominance is due to a 6.0 liter lung capacity. Most racers are 5.5 liters - most non athletes are 3.5 - 4.5 liters. He got that from living and competing in the Rockies. After starting to compete he moved to Texas where his team trained.
Do you think that somebody recovering from Chemo can maintain that pace? Un-Aided?
If you honestly believe that LA won 7, count em, SEVEN TDF's without a little "help", then I have a 3-legged race horse I'd like to sell you.......
The biggest proof against Armstrong appears to be that he was just so much better than everyone else that it is assumed that he MUST have been cheating. Landis has already proven himself to be an untrustworthy liar, so I wouldn't put much stock in him...
Not saying Floyd Landis was invisible before his meteoric TDF win, but really, where are his pedigree, achievements and resume compared to Lance's?
An avowed cheater, Landis wants us to simply "believe him" that Armstrong and a host of cycling mates also cheated. Show us the beef, Floyd. Show us the beef!
Floyd Landis is a liar...........he could never be as great, or even close to being as great as Lance, so he used drugs and lied.
Michelle - Armstrong is a PROVEN liar and cheat - ask his ex-wife if he can be trusted.
LOL Yeah OK....Let's check with your ex-wife and see if you can be trusted. After all everyone knows ex-wives with a bone to pick are a credible source.
This was supposed to be about one issue and you're talking about another. That said, not all divorces are about "cheating." I don't remember anything about either Lance or his ex-wife cheating on the other. I choose to believe that Lance did not use drugs, but that's my opinion. Is it impossible to believe that there might be one celebrity (sports or otherwise) who is truthful?
I agree. I think he's just bitter because even w/the drugs he wasn't at Armstrong's level. If Armstrong was doping, why haven't any positive tests turned up in all this time? Landis' actions are just pitiful. Accussing others, doesn't make his conviction go away.
The could have been said for Roger Clemens he didn't do them either, wink wink
Rob..you gave me my first good laugh of the day! lol I couldn't agree more..
Training is just about everything, but it does sound just a bit odd that Armstrong was so dominant for so long without ever using anything to enhance his performance. No accusations, would like to believe him, but this activity is so prevalent at all levels of sport these days that it blurs the line between honesty and an inconsistent statement.
You must not watch the race. He did not dominate everything, he was outstanding on climbs, that was where he excelled. He lost other parts of the race every time.
Exactly! Landis comes off as very childish with his finger-pointing; however, it would be just as childish to believe that Armstrong was able to accomplish all that he has without any assistance over the years.
Lance HAD assistance over the years - his domestiques! He never would have been as dominant without his teammates. It doesn't necessarily have to be drugs doing it.
Eddy Merckx was much more dominant in his day than Lance is or ever was, yet no one automatically assumes Merckx was a cheater. It is possible to be dominant and not cheat, especially in cycling with all the support Lance gets.
Actually, Merckx has publicly admitted to doping during his time. As he said, it was just something they did back then, and there was little or no testing for it.
Anyone who thinks that someone can recover from cancer and then win 7 tours in a row against a doped up peleton is living in never-never land. Does that seem realistic to you? Lance Armstrong is taking dope just like the rest of them.
You have to prove that! the French Government never could and they tested Lance at least twice in every race and not just the "Tour de France".
He won them with skill and brains. no drugs needed.
And with strong teams behind him !!!
you sir, mr. johannesregulus, are an idiot for assuming everyone in the Tour is doping AND beliving that someone who survived cancer can't do amazing s**t.
funny,I bet if he (Armstrong) was not an american the people defending him would think differently.this is why doping continue in America,as long as you are winning its ok nothing else matters. A-Rod,Bonds,Manny,Gatlin,Marion Jones, to name a few all denied taking drugs at first.We will see............
It's a bitter pill to swallow when you realize that professional cycling is so thoroughly debased by drugs. If you follow professional racing closely (which obviously given this poll's results most of those who voted here do not) it is readily apparent that anyone who is a real threat to win one of the major tours (i.e. a team leader like Lance, Hamilton, Landis, Vinakourov, Zulle, Pantani, Virenque, Riis - enough examples?) has to be either taking drugs or at least blood doping (transfusions of their own blood) to be competitive.
Lance is the best racer of his generation, but that still doens't mean that he, and a large percentage of other racers, didn't break the rules on PED. He has certainly done many admirable things, both as an athlete and as a person.
It's the denials that are irritating and the inevitable realization of the level of his hypocricy that will truly sting when the blinders are off J Q Public.
Armstrong only rode The Tour De France. Most of his entire career has been devoted to racing in July. Most of the peleton ride the entire cycling season and some ride off season cyclocross. That's a big reason Armstrong was so dominant in the Tour.
Since his return to cycling, I have more respect for Armstrong now that he races more.
Landis is broke. He's lost everything. He let his friends down. His wife left him. He has no respect. He has nothing else to lose. He was forced out of the one thing he was good at. The real news here is how low can a man sink.
I am no fan of Floyd Landis, but he was teammates with all those guys on the US Postal Service team. Remember the time when everyone said that Jose Canseco was a liar and a cheat....turned out that he was the only one telling the truth.
Funny you would mention Canseco I was thinking the same situation can be true with Lance vs Landis. Only Lance knows the real truth.
You know what!?!?! Now that you mention it.....my mail carrier has been getting here about 4 hours earlier every day!!!!!! Must be doping. Don't get me wrong.......I like my mail four hours earlier. I guess the US Postal Service isn't immune to this crap either.
The Canseco analogy is perfect! Landis is angry for sure, but he has a right to be. We would be naive to think that only those who have been caught are cheats. Lance has an army of lawyers and deep pockets to protect his money generating persona. No doubt he was using EPO during his Tour reign. His blood was found tainted in retroactive testing, but his name was not supposed to be attached to the bag; therefore the evidence could not be used against him. I'd say that's proof enough for me.
It wasn't blood it was urine, specifically a "B" sample. These samples were tested and claimed to be positive by a BIAS source. A neutral third party confirmed that the urine was later found to be clean. Doesn't sound like bullet proof evidence to me.
I have for a very very long time believed that Lance Armstrong could not have won all those races without taking something and I will always believe that. End of story.
You and the French!!! Now that is the "END OF STORY"
Armstrong is a proven liar and cheat - ask his ex-wife. He disgusts me.
And you disgust me by making assumptions for which you have no evidence other than gossip. Grow up and get out of your mother's basement.
Come on, people...we are talking about his sport, not his personal life. Landes is a proven liar (I didn't do it...ok, well, I did but so did he!") and Armstrong has always denied doping and has the test results to back that claim up. To me, that says that Floyd is lying and Lance is telling the truth. Simple enough.
Typical. It's incredible how many people want to live in a fantasy world that they can ignore real evidence and testimony. If it were your kid and drugs, your spouse and infidelity, your government not spending your money well or anything like that, you'd be much more than just suspicious.
However, this is different. You want a hero. You're willing to ignore evidence and obvious reality to have one. It's like believing in god. Desperation is an ugly thing.
Lance cheated and in your hearts, you all know that.
Knowing in your heart is NOT evidence. Please point to ONE test, just ONE, where Armstrong popped positive for any illeagal/banned substance. Please, just ONE test, thats all we ask.
skater974 - Armstrong is a PROVEN liar and cheat. Ask his ex-wife.
OK, madashelandnotgoingtotakeitanymore-1212354 You have said your rant 3 times already. Can't think of anything else to contribute?
Ditto Wise Grandmom!
madashelandnotgoingtotakeitanymore-1212354 just sounds bitter -- and doubt it has anything to do with LA.
The French pushed to have Lance double checked for drugs in every race., He has never tested positive. much to their chagrin. Floyd is just a sore looser.
Until Armstrong pops positive, just as Landis DID, he's clean. It really is that simple folks.
No, it's NOT that simple. People have taken drugs and never been caught:
http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/cycling/news/story?id=2882380
Tour wants yellow jersey back after '96 winner admits doping
COPENHAGEN, Denmark -- Bjarne Riis became the first Tour de France winner to admit using performance-enhancing drugs to win the sport's premier race, further eroding cycling's credibility after a series of doping confessions.
The retired Dane said he used the blood-booster EPO from 1993 to 1998, including during his 1996 Tour victory, confirming years of speculation that he benefited from banned substances. He also admitted taking cortisone and human growth hormone, but didn't say when.
"I have taken doping. I have taken EPO," Riis said at a televised news conference. "I have made errors and I would like to apologize."
EPO -- or erythropoietin -- is a synthetic hormone that stimulates the production of oxygen-carrying red blood cells.
Bjarne Riis has never been caught. Time to wake up people.
Personally, I believe they are used something. It's unfortunate, however that's how it is when you get into big money.
What's unfortunate is that folk like you are finding riders like Armstrong guilty w/o any proof. Landis was proven to be dirty therefore, he had to suffer the consequences. Armstrong has never had a dirty test result and yet, people like Alexa-1063094, the French and Landis don't care. They are determined to sully his name and try to take away his accomplishments. That's what is unfortunate.
Everyone who is saying Lance is innocent because there is no proof must be the same blind and naive people who still believe Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens are innocent of using steriods.
Lady Justice is blind, or at least blindfolded as a metaphor. Innocent until proven guilty. I hardly consider the foundation of justice to be naive. Lance is the most tested athlete in the history of testing athletes which, to my own judgement, indicates a mountain of evidence supporting LA's argument.
During the team that he dominated the Tour de France, Lance Armstrong was the most tested athlete in sports (all sports). Despite that he never tested positive. If he was doping, it would have been impossible to hide it given the sheer number of tests that were performed, and the inquiries that were conducted. People don't like to believe that anyone could be exceptional in any area. They feel the need to tear everyone down to their level. Floyd Landis is trying to bring Armstrong down for not supporting him after Landis tested positive. It is the epitome of sour grapes.
You too! The French government couldn't prove it and yet you don't believe that Lance who beat cancer and everyone else, couldn't win without drugs! give me a break. you are also a poor looser. Lance never tested positive and all your Baseball heros did.
You can't win the tour on mineral water! Certainly not 7 in a row.
And you would know that...HOW?
No!! not mineral water just plain spring water.
Skill and brains won those "Tour De France" races and not one positive drug test to prove otherwise.
Lance cheated on his ex-wife with Crow, character is consistent.
Floyd is clearly a loser in more ways than one. I had thought it was decent of Bahati to give the guy a second chance, but this sure does not speak well for Floyd or his team.
Do I know Lance has always been clean? Well, no, but I think he has probably been tested more than anyone else on the planet. Maybe those who are clever can avoid getting caught for a while, but it's hard to think Lance could have been able to get past all the tests he has had.
Also, the old man did pretty well in the tour last year in spite of being retired for a few years and having a broken collar bone in the spring. And all this time he was being tested more than ever and with the latest techniques. So, if he's not doping now and has the talent/skill/physiology to do better than a bunch of guys younger than he, it seems quite plausible that a few years ago he could have just been strong enough on his own to win 7 tours.
For 7 years, French authorities tested the blood of Lance Armstrong constantly, with no warning, in fact, Lance was subjected to more blood tests than any athlete in the history of sports.
The French were obsessed with exposing Armstrong, they refused to believe that any athlete could perform at the level that Lance was demonstrating.
Not one single test ever indicated the use of performance enhancing drugs.
7 years, constant blood tests, zero indication of illegal drug use.
I believe Landis is a liar.
Unless there's absolute proof otherwise, Lance Armstrong's 7 wins of the Tour de France is among the greatest athletic accomplishments of all time.
Did you ever consider that the tests were not effective? Or that the athletes had figured out a way to beat them? Also consider there is no real test for EPO other than the fact that your hematocrit levels get too high. Maybe dopers just keep them right at the threshold. Bike races are won seconds, not minutes. All you need is the slightest edge.
LOL MValdes Tell that to Floyd Landis!
Landis is looking to land a lucrative book deal, or has something dangling in front of him to keep him lying, which is what he's done all along. Succeed, and you'll be popular, but succeed too much, and people hate you. Ask George Foreman, the New York Yankees, and other superstars. We'd rather believe the worst in ourselves rather than acknowledge truly outstanding achievements. This is a fact, whether Armstrong is guilty or not, and I believe he is not.
How about this: I do not really believe either person, and do not think any great sin has been committed by either man, however innocent or guilty they may be.
Drugs and doping are part of every professional sport and probably always will be. These people want to win... very much. Not a bad impulse. Can you really blame them? It is a business; there is a lot of money involved. it is their career. They are not poster children for sainthood.
Maybe Lance used, maybe he did not. Who cares? I don't. He's a great athlete.
Landis would do well for himself to stop such telling on others. It does not make him look good. It is bad P.R. however correct he may be. It is time to walk away and leave it alone.
Landis not guilty of anything?! If I was a donor to the Landis defense fund, I'm feeling pretty Madoff-ed right now. (Of course, only suckers signed up for that fund.)
Lance has been tested numerously. He is the most drug tested athelete in ALL of history. He has never tested positive. Yet Landis denied, denied, denied.... and now has decided to "reveal the truth"? I call pure BS. He knew he was going down and wanted to bring as many people with him as possible... even the innocent. He is jealous and bitter. Cycling is trying to uphold a clean image. Landis need to own up to his mistakes and just leave it at that.
I've been a longtime fan of Lance, but I think the day has come where I take off the Livestrong bracelet. What real motivation does Floyd have to lie? I remember LeMond saying years ago that when he returned to the peleton after his hunting accident that it had "changed." It is pretty obvious that cycling in general is riding "doped." People want to believe in Lance and all that he stands for. Those that are close to him know he is a jerk. Look how he treated his wife after his initial wins. Look at his immature persona in his early days. He is marketed--period. Tiger Woods needs to hire his marketing guys. Lance's nickname when he was young was "Fedex"--when you've absolutely, positively got to have it overnight. Sorry to sound so bitter, but I spent my 30's admiring this guy only to find out that it was all a sham.