He’s Got Bigger Balls than Armstrong (Or At Least One)

Today I’m going to make two brief cycling points and then I’ll leave you alone about cycling for a bit. If you’re only interested in the cute Gert story, skip to point two.

1. Today Floyd Landis, the embattled winner of the 2006 Tour de France, has posted a PowerPoint presentation and other documentation of his defense against allegations, and a positive anti-doping test, that he cheated on the miraculous Stage 17 where he defied all conventional wisdom and smeared the field. Floyd has always maintained his innocence, albeit sometimes not very convincingly, and has come back out swinging.

More importantly, Landis has published the full documentation of his positive test, both A and B samples, from the French Lab. Raw data for wonks, geeks and fetishists to pore over and help publicize their findings.

This all leads up to Landis’ public hearing with the USADA that will likely occur early next year. Landis has taken the option to make this hearing open and public. It is important to note that thus far only one athlete accused of doping has ever used this open, public hearing option. That athlete is Floyd Landis.

Does this say to me that Floyd Landis is innocent? I cannot say. I do not know. I’m not well-versed in statistics, chemistry, biology or physiology, so I can’t comment much on the published material. What’s more much of it is in French. Unless it’s in Fry form, my French needs work.

However, for me, this does give me a measure of the man’s character. To represent himself to the world, provide the raw data on the accusations against him, allow the public (and the media) to interpret this material for themselves and open a debate on his guilt or innocence that is based fully on facts tells me that Landis is a man who will put his cards on the table.

Look, Floyd did an amazing thing on the bike in this year’s Tour, that’s without a doubt. Did he do it under his own power? I don’t know. But he’s going into this battle showing off a heck of a lot of character and honesty. That takes a lot of guts. He has chosen not to hide and wait, maintaining his innocence through press releases and moronic website postings (ahem Mr. Hamilton).

Is it a ploy? Could be. However, I’m willing to give Floyd my ear because, as some people might say, his mom seems to have raised a good boy.

2. Gert has frequently asked of we can hook her bike up to my trainer in the winter. It seems as though her little legs get antsy and need the workout. Plus, you know, she is training. Until recently, the answer was always no. Her bike’s just too small and doesn’t fit in the trainer. However, Carlton Reid at Bike Biz points us to a new product that will chase Gert’s winter blahs away. Perhaps I’ll get her a Spinnervals disc and train her to be a sprinter.