# Floyd Landis Leading the Tour de France **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 13, 2006, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/floyd-landis-leading-the-tour-de-france/364372 "2006-07-13T20:01:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2006, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/floyd-landis-leading-the-tour-de-france/364372/21 "2006-07-21T01:55:37Z")
As do I He is history. A proud part of of it. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2006, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/floyd-landis-leading-the-tour-de-france/364372/22 "2006-07-21T02:28:07Z")
Just goes to show–never count Americans with health issues out of Le Tour. ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2006, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/floyd-landis-leading-the-tour-de-france/364372/23 "2006-07-21T06:59:24Z")
I just watched the replay tonight. WOW! [QUOTE=Tapioca Dextrin] As do I He is history. A proud part of of it. 🙂 [/QUOTE] 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2006, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/floyd-landis-leading-the-tour-de-france/364372/24 "2006-07-21T11:16:26Z")
[QUOTE=blondebear] Just goes to show–never count Americans with health issues out of Le Tour. [/QUOTE] Le Mond, Armstrong, Landis, and then, 50 pounds later, ME! ---
**Author:** ![Shirley\_Ujest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shirley\_Ujest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shirley_Ujest)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2006, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/floyd-landis-leading-the-tour-de-france/364372/25 "2006-07-21T13:00:57Z")
How long before the French start screaming " Landis is Doping!" ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2006, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/floyd-landis-leading-the-tour-de-france/364372/26 "2006-07-22T13:01:53Z")
This thread is certainly worth bumping this morning. The live coverage has just started. There goes George…too bad about him this year. Floyd! Floyd! Floyd!! ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2006, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/floyd-landis-leading-the-tour-de-france/364372/27 "2006-07-22T15:20:55Z")
He did it! ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2006, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/floyd-landis-leading-the-tour-de-france/364372/28 "2006-07-22T15:30:16Z")
He has a 59 second lead. Any chance he will be contested tomorrow? ---
**Author:** ![annieclaus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5a626/32.png) [@annieclaus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/annieclaus)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2006, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/floyd-landis-leading-the-tour-de-france/364372/29 "2006-07-22T16:24:36Z")
[QUOTE=hajario] He has a 59 second lead. Any chance he will be contested tomorrow? [/QUOTE] The highly paid professional pronouncers said they didn’t think so. And if Pereiro did try a breakaway or something, the heavens would open and lightning bolts would take care of him! The ride into Paris is always a formality for the yellow jersey. I think we can rest assured that the race is over and Floyd has won! Vive Le Floyd! ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2006, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/floyd-landis-leading-the-tour-de-france/364372/30 "2006-07-22T18:19:14Z")
[QUOTE=annieclaus] The ride into Paris is always a formality for the yellow jersey. [/QUOTE] _Almost_ always. If the lead is close enough, it will be contested. My question, which you did answer, was if 59 seconds was “close enough.” ---
**Author:** ![threemae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5f9b8f/32.png) [@threemae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/threemae)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2006, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/floyd-landis-leading-the-tour-de-france/364372/31 "2006-07-23T21:13:50Z")
Well, apparently 59 seconds was quite enough. Really, that was an excellent race all around; some great riding on the part of everyone, especially Periero, Kloden, Saste, and of course Landis. ---
**Author:** ![Fern\_Forest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/71c47a/32.png) [@Fern\_Forest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fern_Forest)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2006, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/floyd-landis-leading-the-tour-de-france/364372/32 "2006-07-23T23:38:59Z")
[QUOTE=Trunk] That “next guy” could be 8 minutes AHEAD of Landis right now, and we could still be having the discussion that the tour is Landis’ to lose. [/QUOTE] What an interesting thing to say. ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2006, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/floyd-landis-leading-the-tour-de-france/364372/33 "2006-07-23T23:50:09Z")
[QUOTE=annieclaus] The highly paid professional pronouncers said they didn’t think so. And if Pereiro did try a breakaway or something, the heavens would open and lightning bolts would take care of him! The ride into Paris is always a formality for the yellow jersey. I think we can rest assured that the race is over and Floyd has won! Vive Le Floyd! [/QUOTE] Obviously speculation on this point is now moot, but Laurent Fignon had a similar lead of Greg Lemond in 1988 going into the final leg (58 seconds, I believe), and Lemond snatched it away from him to win by 8 seconds. ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2006, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/floyd-landis-leading-the-tour-de-france/364372/34 "2006-07-24T00:14:35Z")
[QUOTE=Sublight] Obviously speculation on this point is now moot, but Laurent Fignon had a similar lead of Greg Lemond in 1988 going into the final leg (58 seconds, I believe), and Lemond snatched it away from him to win by 8 seconds. [/QUOTE] That was a time trial, not a mass start race. ---
**Author:** ![Operation\_Ripper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/34f0e0/32.png) [@Operation\_Ripper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Operation_Ripper)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2006, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/floyd-landis-leading-the-tour-de-france/364372/35 "2006-07-24T00:28:14Z")
[QUOTE=Gorsnak] That was a time trial, not a mass start race. [/QUOTE] Touche! ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2006, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/floyd-landis-leading-the-tour-de-france/364372/36 "2006-07-27T14:26:45Z")
CNN is reporting that he failed his drug test. I have no words. ---
**Author:** ![Honey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honey/32/5074_2.png) [@Honey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Honey)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2006, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/floyd-landis-leading-the-tour-de-france/364372/37 "2006-07-27T14:29:11Z")
[QUOTE=hajario] CNN is reporting that he failed his drug test. I have no words. [/QUOTE] Really. How in the world would he think he could get away with doping? I just don’t get it. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2006, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/floyd-landis-leading-the-tour-de-france/364372/38 "2006-07-27T14:46:53Z")
More detailed report in Velonews: [http://www.velonews.com/news/fea/10591.0.html](http://www.velonews.com/news/fea/10591.0.html) “an unusual level of Testosteron/Epitestosteron ratio in the test made on Floyd Landis after stage 17” Wasn’t stage 17 the one where he made up 7+ min? One the one hand he certain was under a lot of pressure. But on the other, is is possible that extreme exertion can change your T/E ratio? (IANAEndocrinologist) Brian ---
**Author:** ![GLWasteful](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f05b48/32.png) [@GLWasteful](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GLWasteful)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2006, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/floyd-landis-leading-the-tour-de-france/364372/39 "2006-07-27T15:28:16Z")
[QUOTE=N9IWP] Wasn’t stage 17 the one where he made up 7+ min? One the one hand he certain was under a lot of pressure. But on the other, is is possible that extreme exertion can change your T/E ratio? (IANAEndocrinologist) [/QUOTE] Yeah a lot of pressure, but if he doped in the Tour, after so many riders got bounced before it even began, then he was a total maroon. Dunno offhand if exertion can effect the T/E ratio. I suppose I hope so, but I’m not sure if even **that** can overcome the stain of failing a test. -Waste ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2006, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/floyd-landis-leading-the-tour-de-france/364372/40 "2006-07-27T15:37:17Z")
At this point I will have trouble believing that any rider at that level is not cheating. Now, it seems that the question is who is good enough to not get caught or who is stupid enough to get caught. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/floyd-landis-leading-the-tour-de-france/364372.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/floyd-landis-leading-the-tour-de-france/364372.md?page=3)