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Selected passages from an e-mail sent by Floyd Landis to USA Cycling chief Steve Johnson on April 30, obtained by The Associated Press and in which Landis acknowledges his own doping past and implicates several others, including seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong: THE ACCUSATION: Saying it happened in 2002, Landis wrote that Dr.

PORTO RECANATI, Italy, May 20, 2010 (AFP) – Italy’s Filippo Pozzato won Thursday’s 12th stage of the Tour of Italy with Australian Riche Porte holding on to the leader’s pink jersey.

Pozzato, the first Italian to pick up a stage win since the start in Amsterdam, prevailed in a sprint for the line after the 206km run from French duo Thomas Voeckler and Jerome Pineau

This trio headed a group of 10 riders who had detached themselves from the main bunch a dozen kilometres from Porto Recanati.

Tempers flared in the final push when Spain’s Carlos Sastre and Australian world champion Cadel Evans had angry words with a rival rider.

The peloton crossed the line 10 seconds adrift of the leaders with half a wheel splitting the first two home.

“It’s a dream to win on the Giro whilst in possession of the Italian world champion’s jersey,” said Katusha team rider Pozatto.

“This season has been difficult,” the 28-year-old who won the Milan-SanRemo classic in 2006, added.

“I went for this victory with my heart, I needed this success.”

Porte, of the Team Saxo Bank, said he was having to pinch himself.

“For me it really is unbelievable to wear this precious Maglia Rosa,” he said. “Not even in my remotest dreams I had imagined something so great.

“I sometimes get lost in thought and I can hardly believe what’s happening to me.”

Friday’s 13th stage takes the riders on a run from Porto Recanati to Casenatico, the hometown of 1998 Giro winner Marco Pantani who died in 2004.

STAGE RESULTS
1. Filippo Pozzato (ITA/KAT) 5hr 15min 50sec
2. Thomas Voeckler (FRA/BTL) at 0:00s
3. Jerome Pineau (FRA/QST) 0:00.
4. Stefano Garzelli (ITA/ASA) 0:00.
5. Alexandre Vinokourov (KAZ/AST) 0:00.
6. Vincenzo Nibali (ITA/LIQ) 0:00.
7. Marco Pinotti (ITA/THR) 0:00.
8. Michele Scarponi (ITA/AND) 0:00.
9. Damiano Cunego (ITA/LAM) 0:00.
10. Ivan Basso (ITA/LIQ) 0:00.
11. Robbie McEwen (AUS/KAT) 0:10.
12. Manuel Belletti (ITA/CSF) 0:10.
13. Andre Greipel (GER/THR) 0:10.
14. Leonardo Duque (COL/COF) 0:10.
15. William Bonnet (FRA/BTL) 0:10.
16. Greg Henderson (NZL/SKY) 0:10.
17. Sebastien Hinault (FRA/ALM) 0:10.
18. Michiel Elijzen (NED/OLO) 0:10.
19. Tyler Farrar (USA/GRM) 0:10.
20. Danilo Hondo (GER/LAM) 0:10.
Selected
25. Richie Porte (AUS/SAX) 0:10.
29. Cadel Evans (AUS/BMC) 0:10.
52. Carlos Sastre (ESP/CTT) 0:10.
58. Bradley Wiggins (GBR/SKY) 0:10.
60. Svein Tuft (CAN/GRM) 0:21.
71. Michael Barry (CAN/SKY) 0:24.
107. David Millar (GBR/GRM) 0:36.
169. Cameron Meyer (AUS/GRM) 10:52.

Overall
1. Richie Porte (AUS/SAX) 50hr 46min 16sec
2. David Arroyo (ESP/GCE) at 1:42.
3. Robert Kiserlovski (CRO/LIQ) 1:56.
4. Xavier Tondo (ESP/CTT) 3:54.
5. Valerio Agnoli (ITA/LIQ) 4:41.
6. Alexander Efimkin (RUS/ALM) 5:16.
7. Linus Gerdemann (GER/MRM) 5:34.
8. Carlos Sastre (ESP/CTT) 7:09.
9. Laurent Didier (LUX/SAX) 7:24.
10. Bradley Wiggins (GBR/SKY) 8:14.
11. Jan Bakelants (BEL/OLO) 8:35.
12. Alexandre Vinokourov (KAZ/AST) 9:48.
13. Cadel Evans (AUS/BMC) 11:10.
14. Vincenzo Nibali (ITA/LIQ) 11:18.
15. Ivan Basso (ITA/LIQ) 11:39.
16. Marco Pinotti (ITA/THR) 12:05.
17. Francis de Greef (BEL/OLO) 12:21.
18. Stefano Garzelli (ITA/ASA) 12:32.
19. Vladimir Karpets (RUS/KAT) 12:32.
20. Damiano Cunego (ITA/LAM) 12:53.
21. Michele Scarponi (ITA/AND) 12:54.
Selected
28. David Millar (GBR/GRM) 19:14.
35. Michael Barry (CAN/SKY) 33:43.
39. Filippo Pozzato (ITA/KAT) 37:40.
144. Svein Tuft (CAN/GRM) 1h54:36.
169. Jack Bobridge (AUS/GRM) 2h34:07.

The Floyd Landis story went viral Thursday, but riders competing in the Giro d’Italia didn’t know the full extent of the blockbuster accusations until well after the final sprint.

The headlines were changing by the hour in a series of revelations and denials regarding Landis’s allegations of systematic doping throughout his career. Racers at the Giro were still catching their breath at the finish line when journalists peppered them with questions.

“I don’t even know what happened, I’ve been racing the Giro all day!” said stage winner Filippo Pozzato (Katusha). “Journalists only ask about cycling when there is a doping scandal. No one pays attention to the positive changes the sport has made. Cycling is cleaner now than the old days. We have accepted all the rules imposed from us from the outside, unlike other sports. You can see cycling has changed. The riders are more tired, the race cannot be controlled like before, young riders are coming to the forefront. Why don’t journalists write about that?”

The Landis story was making waves, but it certainly didn’t have the same impact as it is at the Tour of California.

There was a muted reaction among the Giro peloton when they woke up Thursday morning. Riders were more interested in digesting the fallout from Wednesday’s epic stage than the growing Landis scandal that was dominating headlines across the ocean.

“I read an article this morning on ESPN. I don’t know what to say. If you think about what happened in his hearings, it’s not a big surprise,” said Marco Pinotti (HTC-Columbia) before the start. “He was already suspended and he denied it until the last moment. When I got the news, I was not so surprised. He was claiming his innocence, now he changes, so it proves that USADA was right when they decided to ban him.”

Officials at BMC – many of whom worked with Landis at Phonak during his tainted Tour de France victory in 2006 – did not want to speak. Sport director John Lelangue, who directed Landis in 2006 with Phonak, refused to comment before Thursday’s start.

“We’ve just seen a small story on a Web site, so there’s nothing really I can say,” said BMC spokesman Georges Luchinger on Thursday morning. “He’s saying some strong things. First he takes an oath that says he’s saying the truth, now he’s changing his mind and saying he was lying before.”

By the end of the stage, however, more details of Landis’s allegations were published online as media around the world dug into the story. Versions of an alleged letter written by Landis to USA Cycling officials named several riders and staff. BMC owner Andy Rihs and team manager Jim Ochowicz each released strong denials.

One name mentioned in the alleged Landis letter was Michael Barry, currently racing on Team Sky at the Giro. Landis rode together with Barry at the U.S. Postal Service team.

Team Sky general manager Dave Brailsford spoke with journalists following Thursday’s stage. He defended Barry and said the Canadian veteran comes with good credentials after racing for Columbia for three seasons.

“There are allegations. I think from our point of view, we’ll speak to Michael. But like anything else in life, you have to establish fact. We have procedures, and the procedures will be based on fact – not allegations,” Brailsford said after the stage. “If allegations can be substantiated, there are procedures to handle everything from there.”

“We are an open, transparent team and we’re here to race clean. We believe you can perform clean at the elite end of this sport,” Brailsford continued. “Now I could be horribly mistakes, but from the evidence that I have, it can be done and that’s what we’re here to do.”

The 93^rd Giro is one of the most exciting and wide-open in years, and so far has not been marred by doping scandals, police raids or other controversy that’s been such a part of the recent history of the race.

Most people associated in the Giro were hoping that Landis’s admissions of doping remain part of cycling’s past.

Colorado Springs, Colo. (May 20, 2010) – In light of the recent allegations by Mr. Landis, USA Cycling would like to reiterate its zero tolerance policy for doping in sport. As the official governing body for all American cycling, USA Cycling supports all efforts and agencies in preventing doping within cycling and cooperates fully with the appropriate testing and enforcement agencies.

“In accordance with the World Anti-Doping Agency’s Code of Athlete’s Rights, USA Cycling does not and will not discuss doping allegations, investigations or any aspect of an adjudication process,” stated USA Cycling CEO Steve Johnson. “There are many accusations being circulated and we are confident these will be thoroughly investigated by the appropriate authorities. Cycling is the most aggressive sport in the fight against doping with some of the most diverse and innovative monitoring and testing programs including in and out of competition urine and blood tests, medical monitoring for Pro Tour and Pro Continental teams, and the biological passport program.”

The United States Anti-Doping Agency, USADA, is an independent, national anti-doping agency with the explicit authority to test athletes and investigate doping allegations or abnormal test results. USADA was created in 2000 by Congress to provide an independent agency to police doping in U.S. Olympic sport. Therefore, by design, National Governing Bodies are not the primary conduit or gatekeeper for information to USADA. If USA Cycling were to receive specific information alleging doping, it is our procedure to forward that information to USADA. It is however, the responsibility of any athlete with firsthand knowledge of doping to report it directly to USADA. Direct routes to notify USADA are available at www.usantidoping.org and USA Cycling encourages all members with evidence of doping to report directly to USADA.

Lance Armstrong Thursday dismissed accusations of doping leveled against him by disgraced cyclist Floyd Landis, who implicated the seven-time Tour de France winner and others in confessing his own cheating.
“It’s our word against his word,” Armstrong told a clutch of reporters in Visalia, California, shortly before the start of the fifth stage of the Tour of California. “I like our word. We like our credibility.”
The Wall Street Journal reported that Landis acknowledged his own drug use and accused colleagues in emails he sent to cycling officials and sponsors.
He said Armstrong schooled him in doping techniques, and colluded with an official of the International Cycling Union (UCI) to have a positive test covered up.
Sports news site ESPN.com said Landis confirmed to them that he had sent the emails admitting the use of performance-enhancing drugs.
“I want to clear my conscience,” he said. “I don’t want to be part of the problem anymore.”
Landis, who was stripped of his own 2006 Tour de France title after testing positive for elevated levels of testosterone, claimed he and other US cyclists conducted blood transfusions, and used steroids and the synthetic blood booster erythropoietin (EPO).
In emails addressed to officials from USA Cycling, the UCI and elsewhere, Landis alleged that longtime Armstrong team manager Johan Bruyneel introduced Landis to practices including steroid patch use and blood doping.
Bruyneel led the US Postal team which later became Discovery Channel, to victory in eight of nine Tour de France races from 1999 – seven straight from
1999-2005 with Armstrong.
Landis joined US Postal in 2002, and teamed with Armstrong in three Tour de France campaigns before winning in 2006 riding for Phonak.
With Bruyneel – now manager of Armstrong’s RadioShack team – at his side, Armstrong challenged Landis’ credibility.
“Floyd lost his credibility a long time ago,” said Armstrong, who crashed early in stage five abandoned the Tour of California. “We have nothing to hide. We have nothing to run from.”
The UCI reacted angrily to the charge that Armstrong and Bruyneel arranged with former UCI President Hein Verbruggen to have a positive doping test by Armstrong during the 2002 Tour of Switzerland suppressed.
“Deeply shocked by the gravity of this statement, which considerably impinges on the honour of all persons who have dedicated themselves to the fight against doping, the UCI wishes to clearly state that it has never changed or concealed a positive test result,” the governing body said in a statement.
The UCI also noted that Armstrong, who won the Tour of Switzerland in 2001, didn’t even compete in the race in 2002.
“We’re a little confused, maybe just as confused as you guys,” Armstrong said of the discrepancy.
Speaking to ESPN, Landis admitted “misjudgments”, but said he felt no guilt at having taken performance-enhancing drugs.
“I don’t feel guilty at all about having doped,” Landis said. “I did what I did because that’s what we (cyclists) did and it was a choice I had to make after 10 years or 12 years of hard work to get there.”
Among other cyclists implicated by Landis, George Hincapie said he was “really disappointed” by the accusations.
Jim Ochowicz, a former USA Cycling official also fingered by Landis, now heads Hincapie’s current BMC Racing team.
“These allegations are not true, absolutely unfounded and unproven,”
Ochowicz said.
USA Cyling and the US Anti-Doping Agency both stuck to policies of not commenting on doping allegations or cases in progress.
UCI president Pat McQuaid, speaking to the BBC, questioned Landis’ motives.
“What’s his agenda? The guy is seeking revenge. It’s sad, it’s sad for cycling. It’s obvious he does hold a grudge.
“He already made those accusations in the past. I have to question the guy’s credibility. There is no proof of what he says. We are speaking about a guy who has been condemned for doping before a court.”
Landis was banned from racing for two years after failing his drug test, making his return in January 2009.
He lost an appeal before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) which threw out his case in June 2008 and ordered him to pay 100,000 dollars in judicial costs to the American anti-doping agency.
Landis’ attempts to clear his name are believed to have cost him some two million dollars (1.6 million euros), some of which he raised through contributions from his fans.
“I’d remind everybody that this is a man that’s been under oath several times and had a very different version,” said Armstrong, who has strenuously denied past doping allegations.
“This is a man that wrote a book for profit that had a completely different version. This is somebody that took, some would say, close to one million dollars from innocent people for his defense under a different premise.
“Now when it’s all run out the story changes.”

This is the email that Floyd Landis sent to USA Cycling admitting his doping guilt, as well as accusing Lance Armstrong, George Hincapie, David Zabriskie, Levi Leipheimer, and many more.

2002: I was instructed on how to use Testosterone patches by Johan Bruyneel during the During the Dauphine Libere in June, after which I flew on a helicopter with Mr Armstrong from the finish, I believe Grenoble, to San Mauritz Switzerland at which point I was personally handed a box of 2.5
mg patches in front of his wife who witnessed the exchange. About a week later, Dr Ferrari performed an extraction of half a liter of blood to be transfused back into me during the Tour de France. Mr Armstrong was not witness to the extraction but he and I had lengthy discussions about it on our training rides during which time he also explained to me the evolution of EPO testing and how transfusions were now necessary due to the inconvenience of the new test. He also divulged to me at that timethat in the first year that the EPO test was used he had been told by Mr
Ferrari, who had access to the new test, that he should not use EPO anymore but
he did not believe Mr Farrari and contin ued to use it. He later, while winning the Tour de Swiss, the month before the Tour de France, tested positive for EPO at which point he and Mr Bruyneel flew to the UCI headquarters and made a financial agreement with Mr. Vrubrugen to keep the positive test hidden.

2003: After a broken hip in the winter, I flew to Gerona Spain where this time two units (half a liter each) were extracted three weeks apart. This took place in the apartment in which Mr. Armstrong lived and in which I was asked to stay and check the blood temperature every day. It was kept
in a small refrigerator in the closet allong with the blood of Mr Armstrong and George Hincapie and since Mr. Armstrong was planning on being gone for a few weeks to train he asked me to stay in his place and make sure the electricity didn’t turn off or something go wrong with the referigerator.
Then during the Tour de France the entire team, on two different occasions went to the room that we were told and the doctor met us there to do the transfusions. During that Tour de France I personally witnessed George Hincapie, Lance Armstrong, Chechu Rubiera, and myself receiving blood transfusions. Also during that Tour de France the team doctor would give my room mate, George Hincapie and I a small syringe of olive oil in which was disolved andriol, a form
of ingestible testosterone on two out of three nights throughout the duration.

I was asked to ride the Vuelta a Espana that year in support of Roberto Heras and in August, between the Tour and the Vuelta, was told to take EPO to raise my hematocrit back up so more blood transfusions could be performed. I was instructed to go to Lances place by Johan Bruyneel
and get some EPO from him. The first EPO I ever used was then handed to me in the entry way to his building in full view of his then wife. It was Eprex by brand and it came in six pre measured syringes. I used it intravenously forseveral weeks before the next blood draw and had no problems with the tests during the Vuelta. Also during this time it was explained to me how to
use Human Growth Hormone by Johan Bruyneel and I bought what I needed from Pepe the team “trainer” who lived in Valencia along with the team doctor at that time. While training for that Vuelta I spent a good deal of time training with Matthew White and Michael Barry and shared the testosterone and EPO that we had and discussed the use thereof while training.

Again, during the Vuelta we were given Andriol and blood transfusions by the team doctor and had no problems with any testing.

2004: Again the team performed two seperate blood transfusions on me, but this time Bruyneel had become more paranoid and we did the draws by flying to Belgium and meeting at an unknown persons appartment and the blood was brought by “Duffy” who was at that time Johans assistant of sorts. The second of which was performed on the team bus on the ride from the finish of a stage to the hotel during which the driver pretended to have engine trouble and stopped on a remote mountain road for an hour or so so the entire team could have half a liter of blood added. This was the only time that I ever saw the entire team being transfused in plain view of all the other riders and bus driver. That team included Lance Armstrong, George Hincapie and I as the only Americans.

2005: I had learned at this point how to do most of the transfusion technicals and other things on my own so I hired Allen Lim as my assistant to help with details and logistics. He helped Levi Leipheimer and I prepare the transfusions for Levi and I and made sure they were kept at the proper temperature. We both did two seperate transfusions that Tour however my hematocrit was too low at the start so I did my first one a few days before the start so as to not start with a deficit.

2006: Well you get the idea……. One thing of great signigicance is that I sat down with Andy Riis and explained to him what was done in the past and what was the risk I would be taking and ask for his permission which he granted in the form of funds to complete the operation described. John
Lelangue was also informed by me and Andy Riis consulted with Jim Ochowitz before agreeing.

There are many many more details that I have in diaries and am in the process of writing into an intelligible story but since the position of USA Cycling is that there have not been enough details shared to justify calling USADA, I am writing as many as I can reasonably put into an email and
share with you so as to ascertain what is the process which USA Cycling uses to proceed with such allegations.

Look forward to much more detail as soon as you can demonstrate that you can be trusted to do the right thing.

Floyd Landis

The cycling world is reacting this morning to Floyd Landis’ public admission of doping and his allegations regarding former employers and teammates, among them Lance Armstrong.

Andrew Messick, president of AEG Sports, owner and organizer of the Amgen Tour of California, told VeloNews reporter Brian Holcombe: “First we don’t know what to believe and we are carefully paying attention to what, if any, of these allegations prove to be true.”

“We all believed Floyd during the four years he said he never used performance-enhancing drugs,” Messick continued. “There are a lot of fans of his in our organization. So for him to say that everything he’s been telling us for four years is untrue is a completely different reality.

“It’s going to take a little bit of time for us to come to a point of view on the true veracity of that. Amgen is how we are committed to the proper use of their medicine and to clean racing. We have a comprehensive supplemental anti-doping program that we’ve had in place for years now that tests for EPO, CERA and other PEDs. And we are confident, as is Amgen, that we are doing everything that we can to ensure that our race is as clean as it can be.”

Regarding the timing of Landis’ confession, he added: “It doesn’t feel like an accident.”

BMC team owner Andy Rihs — who also owned the Phonak team, under whose colors Landis won and subsequently was stripped of his 2006 Tour de France title — issued a statement denying any involvement in doping practices.

The statement said Rihs “heard with great surprise the recent declaration made by the former bicycle racer Floyd Landis and resolutely denies these allegations in all aspects.”

Rihs said that when Landis joined Phonak he agreed to honor the team’s code and refrain from “illicit practices,” and that until his positive test during the 2006 Tour de France “the entire team was convinced that he had kept this promise.”

“Neither I nor the management of the team knew that Floyd Landis was doped,” Rihs continued. “His present statements according to which I was informed are lies.”

BMC Racing Team president Jim Ochowicz and George Hincapie also issued statements.

“The BMC Racing Team is aware of the allegations leveled against some of its management team and one of its riders, U.S. national champion George Hincapie. These allegations are not true, absolutely unfounded and unproven. This is disappointing to anyone who works in the sport or is a fan of the sport,” said Ochowicz.

As for Hincapie, he said: “I have been a professional on the circuit for 17 years – which is one of the longest careers in the peloton. During that time, I have earned the respect of my peers and a reputation for working hard, honestly and honorably. I’m really disappointed to hear these accusations.”

The Union Cycliste Internationale also issued a brief statement expressing regret that Landis “has publicly accused individuals without allowing sufficient time for the relevant U.S. authorities to investigate.”

“An impartial investigation is a fundamental right, as Mr. Landis will understand, having contested, for two years, the evidence of his breach of the Anti-Doping Rules in 2006,” the statement continued. “The UCI will leave it to the individuals accused by Mr. Landis to take the position they see fit with regards to this issue.”

UCI president Pat McQuaid took things a bit further in an interview with the BBC.

“What’s his agenda?” McQuaid asked. “The guy is seeking revenge. It’s sad, it’s sad for cycling. It’s obvious he does hold a grudge. He already made those accusations in the past. I have to question the guy’s credibility. There is no proof of what he says. We are speaking about a guy who has been condemned for doping before a court.”

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) issued a statement from president John Fahey.

“WADA is aware of the serious allegations made by Mr. Landis. We are very interested in learning more about this matter and we will liaise with the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) and any other authorities with appropriate jurisdiction to get to the heart of the issues raised. WADA looks forward to these further investigations and enquiries by those responsible.

“Generally speaking, WADA encourages everyone with knowledge of banned practices in sport, including athletes who were caught cheating and who denied the evidence for years, to be forthcoming in disclosing the information they may have to the proper authorities. This will further contribute to clean sport and strengthen existing anti-doping programs for the good of clean athletes worldwide.”

USA Cycling CEO Steve Johnson noted: “There are many accusations being circulated and we are confident these will be thoroughly investigated by the appropriate authorities.” Beyond that, he added,  “In accordance with the World Anti-Doping Agency’s Code of Athlete’s Rights, USA Cycling does not and will not discuss doping allegations, investigations or any aspect of an adjudication process.”— VeloNews reporter Brian Holcombe, European correspondent Andrew Hood, managing editor Neal Rogers and online editor at large Patrick O’Grady contributed to this story.

Modesto/USA (rsn) - Francesco Chicchi (Liquigas) hat sich bei der Kalifornien-Rundfahrt seinen sechsten Saisonsieg geholt. Der 29-jährige Italiener entschied die 4. Etappe über ....

Nearly four years after he was disqualified as the winner of the 2006 Tour de France, Floyd Landis told ESPN.com Wednesday night that he doped during much of his career. According to the story, Landis detailed his “extensive, consistent use of the red blood cell booster erythropoietin (commonly known as EPO), testosterone, human growth hormone and frequent blood transfusions, along with female hormones and a one-time experiment with insulin, during the years that he rode for the U.S. Postal Service and Switzerland-based Phonak teams.”

VeloNews reached out to Landis by phone Wednesday night but did not receive a response.

• The cycling world reacts to Landis’ charges

Since being disqualified from the Tour victory for a positive doping test, Landis systematically denied any guilt. His book, “Positively False: The Real Story of How I Won the Tour de France,” was published in 2007.

Landis confirmed to ESPN.com that he sent a series of emails to USA Cycling CEO Steve Johnson and others detailing his drug use and that of other riders.

The ESPN.com story broke after The Wall Street Journal ran a story based on emails from Landis. The WSJ story claimed three, unnamed people verified that the emails were from Landis, but Landis himself did not respond to WSJ’s requests for comment.

VeloNews received a copy of an email to USAC’s Johnson that makes doping allegations against Lance Armstrong, George Hincapie, Levi Leipheimer, Michael Barry and Jose Luis Rubiera. He also listed Johan Bruyneel and Andy Rihs as supporters of doping practices.

WSJ said another email from Landis made similar allegations against Dave Zabriskie.

VeloNews attempted to contact all the named parties Wednesday night.

RadioShack press officer Philippe Maertens told VeloNews that Armstrong and Bruyneel will speak to the press tomorrow morning at the team’s bus at the start of stage 5 of the Amgen Tour of California.

Sean Weide, U.S. media director for BMC Racing, told VeloNews that the team will issue a statement later regarding the allegations made against current BMC rider Hincapie and former Phonak boss — and current BMC Bicycles owner — Andy Rihs.

Garmin-Transitions communications director Marya Pongrace said that the team will offer comment soon regarding the allegations against its rider Zabriskie, who currently leads the Amgen Tour of California.

Landis has been riding this year for the OUCH-Bahati Foundation squad. His team manager Steve Owens responded to a request for comment via text: “We have no comment as a team and Floyd is unavailable.”

RECENT HISTORY

On March 9, Landis announced that he would ride with the new team Bahati Foundation, later retitled OUCH-Bahati Foundation. The week before that announcement, an updated Web site was unveiled, with the homepage story titled “Fraud, Lies, and Corruption – See How They Convicted An Innocent Man.”

His biography page on the site at the time concluded with this statement: “Landis underwent hip resurfacing surgery … and returned to professional cycling with Team OUCH in 2009, becoming the first professional cyclist to return to top level competition with an artificial joint. After 20,000 miles of cycling last year with his new hip, Landis now looks to regain his title as World’s Greatest Cyclist and, once again, inspire the world to greater heights in ‘classic’ American style!”

At the end of last season, Team OUCH’s parent company Momentum Sports Group (MSG) and Landis agreed to terminate their two-year contract (2009-2010). At the time, OUCH released a statement saying that, “For the 2010 season, Landis expressed to MSG that he desires to ride the longer, tougher stage races offered in Europe and internationally that better suit his strengths.”

2006 TOUR DE FRANCE FALL-OUT

News of Tour positive sends media scrambling – 7/27/2006

The Landis Case: Waiting for the B Sample – 7/28/2006

The Landis Case: Savior “B” samples a rarity – 8/3/2006

Second samples confirms original finding – 8/5/2006

Defense continues to hammer on USADA’s Landis charges – 5/15/2007

Lemond drops bomb at Landis hearing – 5/17/2007

The Landis Hearing: Floyd takes the stand – 5/19/2007

Landis stripped of Tour title; appeal uncertain – 9/20/2007

Landis hearing closes in New York – 3/24/2008

Floyd Landis loses CAS appeal – 6/30/2008

French arrest warrant issued for Landis – 2/15/2010

Brian Holcombe contributed to this report.

The Amgen Tour of California returns to Visalia for the start of stage 5, a stage that will take the riders through the heart of the San Joaquin Valley and into the foothills of the Sierra Nevada.

It’s a stage that Andrew Messick, president of race owner AEG Sports, predicted could have an impact on the general classification should an overall favorite attack on the 10-percent China Grade climb during the finishing circuits.

“If one of the GC guys decides to launch at the bottom, they could take six or seven seconds at the line,” Messick said.

After departing Visalia, the race heads due south through the towns of Exeter and Lindsay. Just south of Porterville, the route heads further inland and tackles the narrow and twisty category 3 climb over Old Stage Road into the town of Woody. Though a long, steep climb, it tops out a full 60 miles from the finish.

Continuing on to Bakersfield, the route heads into the Kern River oil field, the fifth largest in the United States, where the riders will encounter several short, steep climbs, including the category 4 Round Mountain Road.

From atop the final climb,, China Grade, the cyclists will be able to look down onto the finish at Bakersfield College. The peloton will encounter the 10-percent climb up China Grade twice more over a pair of finishing circuits in Bakersfield.

Prior to this year’s Amgen Tour of California, VeloNews sat down with five riders for a stage-by-stage breakdown. Those riders — Levi Leipheimer, Dave Zabriskie, Ben Day, Mike Friedman and Rory Sutherland — form an expert panel VeloNews.com is referring to all week for insider analysis. Here’s what they had to say:

Levi Leipheimer (USA), RadioShack:
You have two laps, three times up the final climb. I’ve seen it; I don’t know if it’s 10 percent, I don’t think it’s quite that steep. But it’s not just a little bump. Can a sprinter win? Of course. But there will be guys who have no interest in sprinting or GC and they’re going to get dropped. They’re going to sit up, and gaps are going to open. I’ve seen it; it’s a wide road, two lanes with big shoulders, so not too bad fighting for position. I think it will go smoothly. It’s always possible a GC rider could attack, but I think a few teams will be setting the pace pretty high to set up for the stage win.

Dave Zabriskie (USA), Garmin-Transitions:
Circuits, they are always intense, you have to be at the front, especially with a 10-percent climb going into it. Gaps can open up. You just hope that it’s a decent road. A 10-percent road that’s a single-lane is much different than a 10-percent road that’s four lanes. A single-lane is much more stressful to fight people for the front. There will be those that fought for position that can’t hold the wheels, they’ll do a little blow up, and that will open more gaps. If it’s a bigger road, there won’t be that much stress.

Rory Sutherland (Australia), UnitedHealthcare-Maxxis:
I went and did a little bit of recon on that one, because it wasn’t that far north, we could go up from one of the races we were doing in southern California and have a look. It’s a beautiful stage, it steps into the Sierras. We were there in January so the weather wasn’t fantastic. There’s a pretty decent climb in the middle of the stage. To start off with it can be a bit cross-windy through the valley. It goes up over this climb and then you descend for something like 50km, but it seems to be a gradual descent rather than a hairpin, crazy descent. You think it’s going to be a sprinter’s stage, but I’m betting against that. It has a pretty hard little circuit at the end, it actually reminds me a lot of stages of the Tour of Georgia. You have those big, long, open stages with big roads and then with 10k to go it goes down to one lane and you have steep climbs and corners. That makes it super exciting; it means the GC guys are going to have to really be on their toes to be in position, and it means that the guys who have a little punch at the end, and can climb decently, can have a really good opportunity. What kind of rider would be good in a finish like that? It’s definitely like a Hincapie, or a perfect example would be a Valverde or a Kim Kirchen, or hopefully myself. If you can just get over that climb in a good group and in good position, and have a little power at the end, then you should be able to run a pretty good place in that finish.

Mike Friedman (USA), Jelly Belly:

Everyone will position themselves before the climb; there will be a breakaway that goes, there always is. It’s going to be a mad dash to the top of the first climb, then a mad dash to the finish. But it’s sixty miles to the finish from the top of that climb. Some of these climbs are so early on that it won’t really effect what the outcome of the race is. If the climb was later in the race it would really effect it. It also depends how long the climb is, and the grade, but with sixty miles to the finish line not much is going to change regardless. Even if it’s split by five minutes, if the front field isn’t drilling it the grupetto is going to get back on. That’s just the way it is. But if some GC guys are in the grupetto, or really suffering that day, that could also change a lot.

Ben Day (Australia), Fly V Australia:
I foresee the stage being another day for the sprinters, except it’s going to suit a different type of sprinter. Looking at the profile, it looks fairly flat compared to some of the other stages. There’s a long climb in the middle, fairly gradual, and the road isn’t the best so it’s going to be important to keep good position and stay safe through that area. It’s a long, downhill run into the finish, but then once we get into the finish itself, into Bakersfield, there’s a circuit there that’s really, really tough. I think some of the heavy sprinters may really suffer through there, and the GC guys are going to have to be very attentive to make sure they’re right near the front, and make sure they don’t let any splits form in the group. That could finish the race for one of the GC guys. For us, it could be a great race for someone like Charles Dionne or Bernard Sulzberger, John Cantwell, you never know who’s going really well. We’re just going to have to see how that circuit really plays out. It’s going to be a sprint finish, but it’s going to be a different type of sprinter that wins this stage. For a little guy, somebody who has great anaerobic capacity but isn’t a sprinter and doesn’t have that really powerful acceleration, it’s hard to stay on the wheel. Those guys are punching it so hard, and there are such completely different types of athletes, you need to be very attentive and make sure you’re in a good position and make sure you have a little bit of room to fall back. If you’re on the end of the bunch, you’re in trouble. Plus you’ll have some lead-out guys you have to work your way around as well. It’s going to be very important to be aggressive and stay near the front.