Paris - Floyd Landis has pedalled his way into cycling infamy. The winner of the world's toughest cycle race, the Tour de France, is likely to be the first winner of the famous 103-year-old race to be stripped of his title because of a positive dope test.
He also faces a two-year ban, after a second drugs sample confirmed positive for excessive amounts of the male sex hormone testosterone.
On Saturday the International Cycling Union (UCI) said the American's B sample - taken after his win on July 20 - had confirmed a doping offence. "For us, he cannot be the Tour de France winner any more," said Tour de France Director Christian Prudhomme.
"Technically, we cannot say he has lost his title, but he has soiled the yellow jersey."
Landis, 30, who has denied ever taking drugs, was immediately sacked by his Swiss team Phonak.
"Landis will be dismissed without notice for violating the team's code of ethics," Phonak said in a statement.
High-flying lawyer Howard Jacobs, who was hired by Landis to defend his case, has offered some reasons as to why Landis could have tested positive for testosterone: cortisone shots for pain for his degenerating hip, drinking beer and whisky the night before, thyroid medication, dehydration and his natural metabolism.
Landis - a former team mate of seven-time Tour winner, Lance Armstrong - has also pointed out he was tested seven times during the three-week cycle race and that the results were always negative. He said he would fight the charges with the "same determination and intensity that I bring to my training and racing - to clear my name".
Jacobs said that on receiving full laboratory documentation for the B test of Landis's urine by the Chatenay-Malabry laboratory outside Paris, the defence team would use medical and scientific experts to prove that the victory had not been aided by any banned substance.
Testosterone speeds up recovery after exercise and generally improves stamina and strength. During the race Landis made an astounding comeback in the Alpine stage, just one day after a poor performance all but knocked him out of contention, by managing to claw back eight minutes against the then leader of the race, Spaniard Oscar Pereiro Sio.
Landis and his lawyer will question the International Cycling Union's premature release of the A sample findings. The Anti-Doping Commission will now request that the USA Cycling Federation open a disciplinary procedure against the rider.
Pereiro, who finished second, 57 seconds behind Landis in the overall standings, is now likely to be declared the winner of the race. This would make him the first Spaniard to win the Tour since Miguel Indurain's last victory in 1995.
Landis now has just 10 days to respond to the documents, according to US Anti-Doping Agency rules.