Flawed Man Floyd Lands Cycling in a Mess

Gloom envelopes Cycling as Champion tests Positive

The journey of sport is replete with the stories of those that emerge from the dark corridors of despair into the shining lanes of success riding on the shoulders of hope, passion and skill. The millions that seek their daily dose of inspiration from the heroic efforts of sportsmen and women are drawn to them by the realisation that a person very similar to them in making can perform feats of excellence and endurance, clothed in the shining armour of enchanting skill and grace. Sport is about the triumph of human spirit in the face of challenging circumstances against the best human beings. It is a journey that is meant to test and reveal the character of an individual in the most trying of circumstances.

It is in this tradition that we have enjoyed the exploits of champions such as Jesse Owens, Pele, Rod Laver, Ayrton Senna, Eddy Merckx, Babe Ruth and Donald Bradman. They were simple human beings like you and I, yet capable of super human efforts that could lift our souls to a state of unstinted joy. We could relate to their persona as neighbours could, while being in thrall of their performances.

But the eighties and nineties have heralded a new generation of people driven by the money and fame that the marriage between commerce and sports has wrought upon this world. And sadly, sport is suffering from chronic illnesses caused by greed. Sport in no longer just about the people that play, but about the coach, the agent and the doctor besides a contingent of cronies to sustain the inflated ego of the star. Television has meant that sport is glorified as never before and each player hailed as the next great one. The money is pouring and the greedy hands of the players and their teams reach out for the bounty through the shortest route possible.

The flowers at his doorstep are still fresh, but he may find no space to put them in the home, as it appears there are skeletons in the closet. Floyd Landis, the saviour of cycling, the champion of the Tour de France is seemingly a cheat that relied on testosterone to live his dream. The first sample has turned out to be positive, so now we await the verdict based on the results of the second sample.

We are not sure yet, we never are these days about sport. In the good old days you had an athlete reach for the tape and when he or she did that, we could hail their triumph and gloat in the borrowed glow of the moment. That is no longer the case. Just as the athlete hits the tape, he makes his way to the loo to give the doctors a dose of urine, so they could determine if it is indeed a human being or a chemically decorated cheat. It is a sad state where all the people in sport are no longer human like us. There is the usual round of ignorant lines from the accused, and the suspense leading into a second analysis.

Doping is destroying the very fabric of life that has entertained, inspired and enchanted millions of passionate followers across the world. The contradictions are a myriad, and solutions scarce. While we harbour an insatiable appetite for record shattering performances, we are being naive about the physiological limitations of our species. The passonate followers of sport should learn to enjoy a contest without thrusting the weight of history upon every single event. The athlete must revel in the glorious emotions of sport rather than selfishly seek spotlight and shortlived fame.

The time is ripe for a start, if we are to save sport as we all know it. It is almost impossible to deprofessionalise sport. It wouldn't be right too, for even sportspersons need to earn a living. An idea may be the abolition of monetary bonuses. We can surely find other meaningful ways to reward a truly memorable performance. The athletes should be prohibited from directly endorsing products. Endorsements are worth many times the money earned through sport, and the race to endorsements is often overshadowing the sport itself. Ofcourse, one would be naive to consider these part of an evolved solution, but at least this could be the start of a discussion. The road to redemption of sport is a long and arduous path, the journey though is a dire necessity.

Dessel's the silver lining on a cloudy day

France Celebrates as Dessel wears Yellow

Stage 10, Tour de France

The French had a lot to cheer about on Tuesday as countryman Cyril Dessel of AG2R Prevoyance adorned himself in both the Yellow Jersey for the overall leader and the Polka Dots for the King of the mountains. The joy may not last very long. The French haven't had a tour champion for many years; Dessel's day of glory will do just enough to appease the ardent cycling enthusiasts of the country that hosts the most dramatic annual cycling event. He is a 31 year old journeyman pro and will wear this triumph with a lot of pride.

Meanwhile, the main characters in the plot were preserving their lot knowing that the real battle lay ahead. It was an opportunity for the supporting cast to seek and enjoy the limelight. Cyril Dessel and Juan Miguel Mercado (ESP) set up an intense duel riding together in front for more than 80km before Mercado pulled away for the stage victory. But it was Dessel, having started in 10^th place overall, who took over the Yellow Jersey as well as the polka dot for the King of the Mountains.

Euskaltel’s Spanish rider, Inigo Landaluze came in 56 seconds behind Dessel to finish third on the stage.

The peloton finished 7:23 behind the leaders, leaving Dessel with a lead of 2:34 over Mercado. Serhiy Honchar, the Ukrainian with T-Mobile is in third place 3:45 behind the Frenchman.

Dessel will adorn French hearts as a hero. Thomas Voeckler was the last Frenchman to have worn the maillot jaun, back in 2004 when a certain Lance Armstrong was the monarch of the tour. It must be remembered that Voeckler held off the challenge from Armstrong and his team for a good ten days before the treacherous mountains consumed him. Dessel will not harbour any illusions, because the yellow jersey will not last long on his shoulders. Stage 11 will be tough on him and better accomplished climbers will catch up and leave him behind. But he is France’s hero for now, and many will celebrate his joy.

The stage from Cambo-les-Bains to Pau finished with a descent, providing much needed respite to the riders. However, Stage 11 will ask questions of the riders as they travel from Tarbes to Val d'Aran that finishes on a mountain top. There are five climbs on stage 11. It is one of the toughest stages of the tour this year, and it is more than likely that real contenders will come to the fore by the end of the stage.

Refreshed Riders Resume in Style

Stage 9, Tour de France

The riders, rested as they were, put the vigour back into their legs as they set stage nine on fire with some electric racing to the finish. Oscar Freire and Robbie McEwen fought to the last few metres, before Freire clinched it at the finish. The stage from Bordeaux to Dax is the precursor to the assault on the Pyrenees, as the tour reaches the foot of the mountains at the end of stage 9.

The 169 kilometre stage saw some pacy riding by the cyclists who set the finish ablaze in a mass sprint lead by Freire and McEwen at speeds approaching 60 kmph. Eric Zabel finished third a shade in front of Tom Boonen. It was a fantastic finish to the stage, with four of the best sprinters in the world vying for the line.

The first serious attack of the stage came seven kilometres into the race from Christian Knees, the Milram rider who is a teammate of Eric Zabel. He was caught ten kilometres later by Stephane Auge and Walter Beneteau who had to pursue him for almost ten kilometres before joining him at the front. The leaders built a handy lead of almost eight minutes, 60 km into the stage.

T Mobile started to work the peloton with support from Credit Agricole, Lampre and Quickstep to cut the leaders to size. As the peloton built momentum, they nibbled down the lead to just over three minutes forty kilometres to Dax. There were under four kilometres to the tape when the leaders dissolved into the sprinting peloton.

Meanwhile, tour contender Levi Leipheimer lost a further 26 seconds owing to an accident in the pack. He had earlier lost more than six minutes in the previous stage. His tour hopes are now shattered, almost certainly, if there is such a thing as a certainty in sport.

The main peloton were all credited with the same time, which means Serhiy Honchar the Ukrainian riding for T Mobile will retain the yellow jersey ahead of Floyd Landis and Michael Rogers.

A Day of Rest & Rejuvenation

Rest Day # 1

The riders enjoyed their first day off as they contemplate reaching the foot of the Pyrenees that determine the eventual tour winner. The 169.5 km from Bordeaux to Dax will mark the last flat stage before riders set out to conquer the Pyrenees. They will need the rest and the time off to re-energise their bodies and minds. The tour will challenge the cyclists to place mind over matter in their ordeal through the imposing ranges of the Pyrenees. The tour consists of five mountain stages, two in the Pyrenees and three in the Alps separated by three days in the plains and a day's rest. Of these, only the first and the last end in a descent. The three other stages will offer no second chances to those left behind, as they end at the top of the mountains. The mountain ranges will test the ability of the riders and their teams, as they need to work in cohesion even as they assert their individual dreams.

The leader Honchar is expected to be severely challenged by Floyd Landis who has paced his race brilliantly all tour. Levi Leipheimer has been the biggest casualty of the fancied pack, as he lost a chunk of time during Sunday's time trial. Despite superior climbing abilities, it must be said that he is no longer a contender.

We can now look forward to an exciting stage nine, as the players set the tone for the ascent that beckons their every muscle and sinew.

Honchar holds on through Stage Eight

Stage 8, Tour de France

The riders began the stage from St.-Méen-le-Grand, a French village which has been recognised for its affinity to the tour. All of France loves the tour, Brittany more so. It is the home of Bernard Hinault and Louison Bobet who won the tour eight times between them. The tour awarded the friendship medal to the mayor of St.-Méen-le-Grand, Bernard Josse and the priest Rev. Michel Leroy, who advanced Sunday Mass to Saturday so that all of them including himself could be present at the start of the stage on Sunday.

In the event the French had reason to celebrate, as a French rider - Sylvain Calzati cycling for a French team - AG2R won the stage ahead of Kjell Carlstrom and another Frenchman Patrice Halgand of Credit Agricole.

The peloton comprising of leader Serhiy Honchar, second placed Floyd Landis and Australian Michael Rogers who is third currently arrived 10 seconds behind the stage winners. They will retain their top three spots in overall classification. A minute separates the top two, while a mere three seconds separate Landis and Rogers.

But as the riders reached Lorient in Brittany, it was news concerning the health of Landis that overshadowed the completion of stage eight. Landis confirmed a New York Times report that he is indeed due for a hip replacement surgery. He spoke of incessant pain and the constant struggle that life is for him as a cyclist. The surgery is likely to put Landis out of cycling for the rest of the year, besides an extremely demanding rehabilitation process. For the moment though he is a strong favourite for the tour, and is keen to continue cycling after the surgery.

Serhiy Honchar lives out a dream

Stage 7, Tour de France

Time trials are notorious for making or marring reputations. The individual team trial on Saturday from St.-Grégoire to Rennes in Brittany turned out to be a dream come true for Serhiy Honchar. He won the stage by just over a minute (61sec) from second placed Floyd Landis, and earned the distinction of riding in the yellow jersey for the next stage. Honchar couldn't have scripted this better if given the choice on Friday.

Bobby Julich of CSC and Denmark, though relived a nightmare. He had dropped out of the tour in 1999 after crashing in a time trial. A similar fate befell him this time when he crashed and injured his wrist. He is out of the tour.

Honchar will revel in his moment of glory, at 37 he wouldn't expect too many more. He is a not an accomplished climber and is certain to loose his position at the head of the table as the pack heads into the daunting Pyrenees. Sebastian Lang finished third, three seconds behind Landis. Landis was graceful in defeat, he was asked if the officials intervention in lowering his handle position cost him the race - "I got beat fair and square" he said despite having to change bicycles as the handle loosened during the race.

Seasoned riders like Levi Leipheimer, who were expected to come to the fore alongside names such as George Hincapie failed to impress as they finished outside the top ten. Meanwhile, Tom Boonen who had custody of the yellow jersey till yesterday fell out of the top twenty.

Boonen clings on to Yellow Jersey, despite no stage win

Robbie McEwen shows class in stage six

Stage 6, Tour de France

The 189km sixth stage from Lisieux to Vitre ended in a bunch sprint to the finish, with as many as 147 out of the 171 riders clocking the same time. Robbie McEwen, the Australian sprinter racing for Davitamon produced a splendid finish in the face of stiff competion from Daniele Bennati and the leader Tom Boonen. The finish mirrored the reason why many consider McEwen among the finest finishers in contemporary cycling. It is his third stage victory in this tour, and sets him up nicely in the race for the green jersey, his main objective here at the Tour de France.

Tom Boonen finished third on the stage, but enough for him to slip into the yellow jersey for a fourth successive day without winning a single stage. Boonen will do well to enjoy his time in it, as the pecking order is set to change tomorrow; the time trail will showcase the more realistic contenders for the final honours. The first meaningful breakaway happened at the 9km mark with Auge cutting loose from the peloton. He was joined by four others, but their party did not last long as they were reigned back by the 32nd kilometre. After a period of subdued cycling, Auge and Vaugrenard set themselves free and were later joined by a host of riders including Boonen as they approached the 50 kilometre mark.

However, this group came apart and were reduced to just the threesome of Backsted, Brard and Geslin. They built up a lead of just over 3 minutes as they cycled 90 km into the sixth stage. The peloton was content riding in the knowledge that the trio at the front were within striking distance. As the race progressed, the leaders were giving away time, with twenty to the finish they had a mere minute to show for their adventurous work. The peloton turned on the heat by now, cutting the lead down to 25 seconds. There were just ten kilometres left to the finish. The setting was just right for the sprinters to take over. The escape group melted back into the peloton with 4km left to end the stage. The riders from Lampre and Quickstep did everything they could to control the final stretches, but could not match the brilliance of Geert Steegmans, who set up McEwen’s burst to the finish to perfection. McEwen was liberal in his praise for his teammate at the end of the race, but he better be. He owed his 11th career stage victory as much to his own finishing skills as to the tireless work of Steegmans. The end of the first week will be marked by a time trial on Saturday.

Oscar Freire steals a march over Boonen

Stage 5, Tour de France

Oscar Freire, the absent minded former three time cycling champion pulled off an admittedly unexpected stage victory, leaving a helpless Tom Boonen in second place. He launched himself on an unsuspecting pack with just over 300 metres to finish and managed to sustain the effort as he pulled ahead of Boonen. As expected it was a thrilling sprint finish to stage 5, with several realistic contenders leading into the final metres. Spain had finally something to celebrate after the damning revelations from Operation Puerta.

Samuel Dumoulin and Bjorn Schroder broke away from the peloton in a group of eight riders at 20km and raced clear on their own as they reached the 40km mark. At one stage they opened up a 13 minute lead over the chasing pack, but as always the peloton managed to reel them in within a kilometre from the finish. It was rather disappointing for them to have lost the advantage after leading the stage for a good 200km.

Tom Boonen, the current world champion, managed to retain the yellow jersey for the third day running, extending his lead over Aussie Michael Rogers to just over 13 seconds. The sprinters have one more stage to rejoice in the limelight before the serious contenders make headway beginning with the time trial on Saturday that runs around Rennes. George Hincapie currently lying in fourth and Floyd Landis in eighth will surely stake their claims as the tour reaches the mountains, while one can never discount Levi Leipheimer who is consciously conserving his juices for the stages ahead.

Australia's Stuart O'Grady is a story in himself. He is riding through the pain of cracked vertebrae, as a result of his crash in stage three on Tuesday. It is questionable how long he may sustain his effort, but he has termed every kilometre a little victory and he will resume his battle for survival on Friday as he competes with himself.

Robbie McEwen retained the green jersey worn by the points leader. Jerome Pineau of France won the four category four climbs on the stage to remain in the Polka dots of the King of the Mountains.

The sixth stage on Friday, a 189 km ride between Lisieux and Vitre will see the riders race the last flat stage, before heading into the time trial on Saturday. Lisieux is the capital of Pays d'Auge, reknowned for its historical tradition besides its long association with sports and arts. Vitre is a vibrant and youthful town, on the outskirts of Brittany. It is an example for all of France due to its sporting excellence and low levels of unemployment.

McEwen final burst too good for the rest

Stage 4, Tour de France

Robbie McEwen burst out of the pack with just metres to go, winding his legs to break away at a frenzied pace. At 34, he still possesses amazing speed and timing, as his competitors could all but look at him get away for a second stage win this year and the tenth stage win of his career. Isaac Galvez of the Illes Balears team was second, with another Spaniard, Oscar Freire of Rabobank finishing third.

Earlier the main pack sized up the leading pack of five that was in front all day, keeping them within striking range before hauling them in as they reached into Saint Quentin. Egoi Martinez, the Discovery rider from Spain broke away first before being joined by Bradley Wiggins(COF), Christophe Mengin(FDJ), Laurent Lefevre(BTL) and Cedric Coutouly (AGR) 20km out of Huy.

But the tour continued to receive its dose of pain from Spain, as doctor dope Mr. Eufemiano Fuentes, speaking to a Spanish radio station confirmed having worked with Football, Tennis and Athletics besides Cycling. Most damning though, was his comment that there are still riders in the tour who have worked with him. He has also wondered why there have only been selective leaks, before refusing to divulge any names.

The Belgian Tom Boonen hung on to his yellow jersey, as he finished the stage in fifth place. He needs to repeat or better his performance in stage five or loose the colour at the end of stage five. McEwen has already stripped him of the green jersey, adorned by the best sprinter, at the end of stage four. Robbie McEwen may fancy his chances going into the next stage, Thursday's stage will once again favour the sprinters.

However, the stage is also being set for the emergence of the climbers as we approach closer to the point where the leading contenders for the final honours begin working with their teams to conquer the arduous mountains that lie ahead next week. Among them are George Hincapie, third behind Boonen and Michael Rogers. Floyd Landis has been tipped as a prospect by none other than the great Eddie Merckx, currently lying in ninth. Farther behind is Levi Leipheimer, who has accomplished his goal of safely seeing himself through the sprint stages. Jerome Pineau is the custodian of the polka dots, as the other conserve their energy.

But the fourth stage clearly belonged to McEwen whose final gasp sprint left the field with no answer, especially the Quickstep team of Tom Boonen, who worked to place Boonen with a chance on the final stretch. McEwen dedicated the victory to his Davitamon Lotto team mate Fred Rodriguez who withdrew from the tour after an accident.

The players will now move to Beauvais, just north of Paris, riding through Normandy and Calvados to finish stage five at the port city of Caen.

Matthias Kessler sprints to win Stage 3

Stage 3, Tour de France

Tom Boonen claims the maillot jaune as Kessler wins the stage

Matthias Kessler tried to win stage 2 on Monday, but was swamped by the peloton less than 50 metres from the finish. He was in the pack yesterday as they arrived into Valkenburg and timed his escape to perfection. Despite the attention lavished by Michael Boogerd on the final grade 3 climb, Kessler managed to eke out a 5 second advantage over the peloton.

It was a day that will be remembered as much for the attrition of one of the overall race favourites, spanish star Alejandro Velverde. He was involved in an accident whilst in the middle of the main bunch of riders about 20km from Valkenburg. He was treated at the spot, and early reports suggest that he has a broken collar bone. He has dropped out of the tour.

Also departing from the tour are American Fred Rodriguez and Dutchman Erik Dekker, as they crashed into a large pot hole on the third climb of the stage. Rodriguez may have suffered an injury to the wrist as well as a broken shoulder. Dekker suffered a concussion besides deep cuts to his face and lips. The tour is now down to 172 riders after Danilo Di Luca pulled out earlier due to illness.

Belgian Tom Boonen will cherish wearing the yellow jersey as the tour moves into Belgium for stage 4 starting in Huy leading to Saint Quentin in France. Located just outside Ardennes, Huy has already hosted stages for the Giro d'Italia and the Tour of Belgium this year. Saint Quentin is a town rich in historical heritage and enriched by its vibrant cultural and artistic activities.

The leader going into stage three, Thor Hushovd has dropped into fourth place as he was sluggish on the final climb loosing vital seconds as he finished in 63rd position. The time trial world champion Michael Rogers has moved into second overall, a second behind Boonen. George Hincapie is positioned well in third position.

A lot of the early leaders will drop out of contention as the tour reaches the mountains, all the more reason for Boonen to enjoy his ride in the yellow jersey on wednesday.

Thor Hushovd provides a story

Stage 2, Tour de France

Cycling's need for a story addressed by Hushovd

The angels that script sport are constantly battling the demons of doping. A sport ravaged by doping investigations was looking for respite from this great event of endurance and spirit - the Tour de France. And Norwegian Thor Hushovd has been promptly despatched to answer the despairing cries of the cycling world.

After winning the Prologue, he had his arm split open by an overly eager fan waving a sponsor's insignia on the final stretch of stage 1. As he collapsed after the finish line, people feared the worst as he was carried away to an ambulance for treatment. It wasn't to be the end of his race after all. Oh, that is something to cheer isn't it? Anything would do, for a sport that is desperately ill, as cycling is.

Stage 2 runs from Obernai, a small town in France that lives off tourism. There was indeed a rider short on day 3, but it wasn't Hushovd who bid adieu. Danilo di Luca of Liquigas, an Italian was the first retirement this year, as he failed to start the stage. Meanwhile, arm stitched and body enduring the drowsy effects of medicine, the Credit Agricole rider took to the road between Obernai and Esch-sur-Alzette, at 228.5km the second longest stage this year. Esch-sur-Alzette, the source of such wealth in Luxembourg, owes its cosmolipolitan status to the discovery of iron ore in the late 19th century.

Thor Hushovd isn't going to win the tour, no rider can do so without mastering the mountains, but he is the sort of start that can rouse the passion of the battered cycling fan. Thank you for changing the weather Thor. He promptly finished third on the stage, to reclaim the yellow jersey, which may cure all his ills.

The sprinter Robbie McEwen won the stage, his ninth on the tour. With metres to go, Hushovd the beleaguered rider, lost his pedal as his foot slipped off the cleat but managed to hold his step to finish behind Tom Boonen.

The third stage is a 216.5km ride from Esch-sur-Alzette in Luxembourg to Valkenburg in the Netherlands. Valkenburg is one of those cyclist mecca's that dote this part of Europe, thanks to its hilly landscape.

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Life after the Lance Armstrong Era

The Tour de France is back again. For once, even the most ardent sports fan can be forgiven the thought that the tour was over with the retirement of Lance Armstrong. To say that he has dominated this event is an understatement. After all, it is a gruelling three week endurance test. A stage victory is what
most cyclists dream about. Lance has dedicated his life to the pursuit of success in this one event, and seven triumphant years are evidence of his stranglehold on the tour. The Discovery team has been developed with the single objective of enabling Lance win the tour. Admittedly, he couldn't have achieved all of his success without the dedication and selfless contribution of his teammates. Thankfully for them, Lance has retired and they can begin to race for themselves. So life shall go on at the tour, sans Lance.
This year a total of 176 riders on 20 teams start the three-week Tour, and ride over 3,657 kilometres before reaching the Champs de Elysee on July 23 in Paris. The original complement of participants included 22 teams and 198 riders. And then cycling was rocked by a doping scandal in Madrid. The Communidad Valenciana team was deprived of its invitation. Another, Astana-Würth, withdrew after it failed to put together a minimum of six riders, after loosing five of their nine riders to suspension. The biggest loser as a result was Alexander Vinokourov who will not participate in the tour,
for no fault of his. The tour does not allow changes to team composition, three days to the start of the race.
However, in a devastating blow to cycling, top contenders for this year's tour - Jan Ullrich, Ivan Basso, Francisco Mancebo are among others suspended from the tour.

Cycling's Hour of Shame

Controversy reigns at the start of The Tour de France, 2006

Cycling's tryst with shame and dope continues pedalling the sport into dungeons and dark corners. Just as the world of cycling fans were waking up to a new dawn to welcome the rise of a new champion, in the post Armstrong era there are damning revelations about the continued use of drugs. The sport was viciously tainted in 1998 and has ever since struggled to find the clean road to sporting excellence.

The Tour de France, the three week show piece event has been marred by the effects of a report that implicates 58 cyclists connecting them to a doping network. The impact has torn the tour apart depriving it of the participation of even money favourite Ivan Basso, second favourite Jan Ullrich besides Joseba Beloki and Alexandre Vinokourov. Vinokourov, fifth last year and third in 2003, is most unfortunate. The report hasn't indicted him, but his team Astana withdrew on Friday leaving him without a team. Under the rules of the tour, you aren't allowed to switch a team less 72 hours from the start.

While this may leave the road clear for participants such as George Hincapie and Eric Zabel among others to emerge champions on July 23, it will be in a sport that is stripped of dignity and respect. But with no clear favourite, this may yet turn out to be a fascinating edition of the tour.

At the centre of the Spanish investigations, that have taken the wheels off cycling, are Spanish doctors Eufemiano Fuentes and José Luis Merino, head of hematology for a Madrid hospital. According to reports by the Spanish newspaper El País, said to be based on court documents, Mr. Merino used hospital personnel and vehicles to procure supplies used to treat and store the cyclists' blood. The police also found at least 90 bags of frozen blood or red blood cells, identified with numbers and date. They also found lists of code names, presumed to refer to the athletes, and payment status.

If the Spanish investigation's findings are correct, a significant number of athletes are reportedly paying up to €40,000 to boost their performance through the use of banned substances and methods. In addition to using EPO and other drugs, those implicated are suspected of blood doping - extracting an athlete's blood and reinjecting it later to increase endurance. More importantly these findings may damage the sport beyond repair, as fans begin to view their champions with doubt. Cycling runs the serious risk of degenerating into the same shambles as the home run chase in the NFL.

The action continues as Le Tour carries on into its 93rd edition, but the eyes of the world are looking for answers to the cheating that clothes many a cyclist. This year the Prologue and stage 1 of the tour will centre around Strasbourg, the French city that hosts the European Parliament.