Landis rages* at UCI Road Worlds organisers…*well, he's quite annoyed

True enough Tony, Armstrong's back story didn't get him on the podium or 'ride his bike'. All elite cyclists train hard & enter races with some hope of doing well. But maybe, rEPO, HGH, and/or blood doping 'helped the process'. Fine, he never 'tested positive'- big deal, neither did Marion Jones. I am new to road.cc glad to hear that they don't suffer fools gladly with respect to Armstrong.

The point is the conference is about issues with systematic doping in cycling, not necessarily about what great athletes cyclists are. Landis is on a panel & speaking about his personal experiences with doping; as I stated in my earlier post, I am NOT a Landis-apologist & am curious, but care little about what he has to say. I am, frankly, more interested in Michael Ashendon's comments about detecting doping.

However, since about 2000 I've found it (thanks to Paul Kimmage, Dave Walsh, WADA, Mike Ashendon, LeMond, etc, etc) interesting regarding Armstrong's cycling feats, the laxity of the antidoping system towards Armstrong (among others)in particular, general incuriosity of many towards allegations of doping (aka those drinking the 'compelling backstory koolaid'), and the relationship that he (among others) had with Dr Ferarri, UCI & Verbrugghen. As varied lawyers have said in posts, there's considerable direct and circumstantial evidence regarding Armstrong's and his team's systematic doping.

Recently, Sevilla was accused of doping with some plasma expander and earlier this year, some Italian (I think) was found with excessive levels of some weird oxygen uptake chemical. So clearly these guys will do just about anything to gain an advantage and 'beat the system' or pass doping controls. Finally, you've got Rasmussen trying to sneak in recombinant bovine plasma(~2007) or some such nonsense- it's just a circus.

Yes raging is over-egging it. Whether he's looked in the mirror etc etc, the plain fact is that Landis has zero credibility, and whose fault is that? More looking in the mirror for Mr Landis.

As for Armstrong, don't think there is any selective amnesia in these parts or starry eyed special treatment. Again though his 'compelling back story' didn't get him on to the podium at last year's Tour, that might have got him a place on the team, but it didn't ride his bike… and pre Tour he didn't have such a bad season this year for an old guy either.

Come on Road.cc, he's not 'raging'! I am probably the last person that should be defending Landis because I think he is a bit of an odd twisted guy. FWIW, this sport is full of unrepentant dopers. Also, if Armstrong didn't have such a compelling backstory with cancer it's hard to imagine that he would have had the cycling longevity/support he's enjoyed. Frankly, it seems like a bit of a benign ignorance accompanies Armstrong in this affair.

If you read Landis' comments about this issue on other cycling sites, it's pretty clear that he's only going to offer his perspective and without much else. Maybe 6-8 months ago, it appeared he was trying to topple the sport. Now, as thing come to light, he's dusted off the filthy mirror of accepted doping in this sport and forced it to look at how it's run. SHame on you, for this headline.