Floyd Landis targets Southland, French court targets Landis
It has been reported that the French courts have accused Floyd Landis and former coach Arnie Baker of hacking charges and that they are expected to stand trial in France. The controversial cyclist is currently having a strong ride in the Tour of Southland
with team Orca Velo. Wayde Hudson, manager of Orca Velo, has discounted the reports.
“If nothing was done, it would have lapsed. The question was whether the warrant should stay open or not,” said Hudson to the Associated Press. “But the warrant was never served on Floyd. So the suggestion he will stand trial in France is a ridiculous statement
because they still have to serve him.”
Landis won the 2006 Tour de France but the title was revoked when a doping test taken during the race was returned positive. The cyclist and his manager are now being accused by the French Anti-Doping Laboratory of breaking into the Châtenay-Malabry lab,
which tested his Tour samples, and changing or removing data.
“It's about his having somehow received some information that may have been obtained illegally from a computer in a laboratory in France and there's been no substance to it,” said Hudson. “The prosecutor doesn't want to push it but the judge disagreed. By
making the decision the judge is keeping the case alive. He (Landis) is annoyed that it has escalated unnecessarily when there's no substance to it. But he's not losing any sleep over it and is focused on the race.”
Landis has stood in fourth overall at the Tour of Southland since Monday’s stage two. The top-five have remained unchanged since that stage but with only 1:10 separating them and four stages remaining, Landis is within reach of the title.
“I want to win – it’s going to be tough but that’s the goal,” said Landis. “A minute’s quite a bit to make up so some bad weather or bad luck on the other guys’ part is probably what I need.”
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