Floyd Landis: More pedaling, less talk is the way back to Tour de France

November 3, 12:36 AMCycling ExaminerJames Raia

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Image courtesy of Team OUCH

Floyd Landis can't stay away from controversy.

Now, the dethroned Tour de France winner says he'll never compete in the Tour de France again because of politics.

While waiting for the start of the nine-stage Tour of Southland in Wellington, New Zealand, Landis told The Herald newspaper:

"I don't think it's a possibility next year, or ever, for that matter. I can't foresee what the politics in cycling will possibly lead to but the organizations in control are not working well together. There are people caught in the crossfire and I happen to be one of them, so I don't know if the opportunity will come up again. I would like to. But it's very sensitive."

Landis won the 2006 Tour de France. He was and continues to be an easy athlete to like. His improbable progression from country boy riding a mountain bike in baggy sweatpants to Tour de France champion has been told often. Sportswriters (me included) like the guy.

What's not to like? Anyone who was in attendance at the 2006 Tour de France or watched it on television viewed one of the best three-week stretches in cycling history.

But Landis, now 34, was disqualified shortly after his win and was banned for two years when doping tests revealed abnormally elevated testosterone levels. Landis returned to competition in February at the Tour of California and fared well — 23rd in the overall classification for Team OUCH.

In addition to his two-year suspension, Landis returned to ride on a resurfaced hip. It's admirable.

But after the Tour of California, Landis didn't fare particularly well. In fact, he didn't have a podium finish this season.

And so while Landis is correct that international pro cycling is a vicious web of organizational in-fighting, he's also mistaken.

Landis is not going to fail to return to the Tour de France because of politics. It's because he hasn't returned to level of cycling that would allow him to compete in the Grand Tour.

The Tour of Southland is not a top stage race, but let's see how Landis fares in the field of 125 cyclists while riding for a composite team. He's been competing this year for 10 months and what he needs now is a result.

If Landis then wants to revisit thoughts of competing in the Tour de France, he might have a few more empathetic listeners.

More Floyd Landis articles:

• Tony Cruz, Floyd Landis to ride for Rock Racing 2010?
  
• Flpyd Landis should pedal his bike, not worry about silly promotions
  
• New RadioShack team considering Floyd Landis?
  
• Where have you gone, Floyd Landis?
  

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