The initial blood test reveals that his testosterone levels exceeded the ratio set by the World Anti-Doping Agency that checks these things.
The test is a ratio of testosterone to epitestosterone in his blood.
Under World Anti-Doping Agency regulations, a ratio of testosterone to epitestosterone greater than 4:1 is considered a positive result and subject to investigation. The threshold was recently lowered from 6:1. The most likely natural ratio of testosterone to epitestosterone in humans is 1:1.Landis knows that he could clear his name, but not his reputation. The stigma will linger - much as similar claims have repeatedly been made about seven time winner Lance Armstrong.
Testosterone is included as an anabolic steroid on WADA's list of banned substances, and its use can be punished by a two-year ban.
Testosterone can build muscle and improve recovery time when used over a period of several weeks, said Dr. Gary Wadler, a member of the World Anti-Doping Agency and a spokesman for the American College of Sports Medicine. But if Landis had been a user, his earlier urine tests during the tour would have been affected, he said.
"So something's missing here," Wadler said. "It just doesn't add up."
Landis' inspiring Tour was reminiscent of fellow American Tyler Hamilton's gutsy 2003 ride. Hamilton, riding for team CSC, broke his collarbone on the first day of the Tour but rode on, despite the pain, and finished fourth overall.
But a year later, Hamilton, then riding for Phonak, tested positive for blood doping at a Spanish race and now is serving a two-year ban. He has denied blood doping.
All this comes after a number of racers were banned from the Tour de France because a doping scandal right before the Tour began, including Jan Ulrich and Ivan Basso who were among the favorites to win the event now that Lance Armstrong retired from the sport.
Technorati: floyd landis, testosterone, tour de france.
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