UCI begins court proceedings against Floyd Landis

Things seem to have gone from bad to worse for cycling’s resident mad hatter Floyd Landis, as the UCI start legal proceedings.

Landis has been attacking members of the cycling fraternity since he was stripped of his 2006 Tour de France title and banned. The American was tested positive for abnormal levels of testosterone and since then it has been difficult to tell the truth from lies. It seems that Pat McQuaid has finally had enough of the nonsense and has lodged the case with a Swiss court.

Is Alberto Contador Guilty of Doping?

Alberto Contador is fighting for his cycling career after he tested positive for metabolism stimulant clenbuterol on July 21st 2010.

If he is found guilty by the UCI he would become only the second winner of the Tour de France to be stripped of his title for doping; the other was Floyd Landis in 2006. However is Alberto Contador guilty and should he be banned for two years? In my opinion the answer to this question is no and for more than one reason.

Contador the Man
Normally I would be the first person to be asking for a rider to be banned if they have been doping. However, with Contador my feelings are very different. I have never been a fan of el pistolero despite his superior riding and I haven’t been converted as a fan. However, after I had the fortune to meet him during an interview in Spain in 2009 in came to like him as a person. He is a very unassuming man who you wouldn’t think he had enjoyed as much success in cycling as he has. He never seemed like the type of man to take an unfair advantage in that way.