Landis' Tour de Force at Tour de France
Published July 24, 2006
It appears that even in France there is nothing that can ever be considered impossible again. American cyclist Floyd Landis came from 8 minutes behind four days ago to win the grandest cycling race of them all.
In what the Tour director described as the single greatest performance in the modern history of the race, Landis regained all but 30 seconds of that 8-plus-minute deficit in one incredible burst of energy and finished off all contenders two days later in the race's final time trial.
Today he cruised down the Champs-Elysées, hoisting a glass of champagne along the way to celebrate the 11th American victory in the past 12 21 years.
Landis has now moved up from the shadow of Lance Armstong (for whom he has provided support over the past years as a member of the US Postal Service Team) and into the spotlight by his own right.
He did so with perseverance, determination, and a sense of drama that often was lacking in Armstrong's annual, methodical destruction of his peers. This year's race was a true competition and, in the end, the winner was the one who refused to lose.
Congratulations to Floyd Landis, the champion!
- Landis' Tour de Force at Tour de France
- Published: July 24, 2006
- Type: News
- Section: Sports
- Filed Under: Sports: Racing
- Writer: Bird of Paradise
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Your article stated Floyd Landis has the 11th American victory at the Tour de france in the past 12 years, not so! Before Lance Armstrongs 7 victories that stretch from 2005 back to 1999 there was Marco Pantani in 1998, Jan Ulrich in 1997, Bjarne Riis in 1996, Miguel Indurains five victories in 1995 back to 1991 & Greg Lemond in 1990, 1989, & 1986. So really Floyds victory is 11th by an American at the Tour de France in the past 21 years
Steve, you are, of course, correct. A clear and obvious error on my part. But, although I did not write it in my post (trying to be positive) I have always had a bad feeling about the almost inhuman "comeback" that Landis experienced just one day after his monumental falter. Those suspicions have now been sadly reenforced by the positive test for testosterone in his post-stage urine sample. Of course this still needs final confirmation from his "B" sample but it does not look so good for Landis at this point.
Should the test results be confirmed I would have no hesitation to see him tared, feathered and carried the entire length of his historic come-back stage on a rail.
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Truly a great victory, and totally different from the methodical destruction of the opposition that characterized Armstrong. Anyone who has bicycled at elevated pace over a long distance can understand the significance of The Bonk and the amazing recovery of Landis the next day. This was a fabulous athletic recovery, worthy, dare I say it, of the great Eddie Merkcz.