L.A. Times profiles Floyd Landis

Landis delivers,
originally uploaded by Frank Steele.

Los Angeles Times (free reg. required) | Rebel Rebel

Martin Dugard profiles one of the great American hopes for the Tour, Floyd (Lloyd Flanders) Landis for the LA Times Sunday magazine. Dugard talkes to both Misses Landis, offers the obligatory horrific accident story, and examines the psychological impact that Lance Armstrong may have had on Landis as a rider.

There's not a more likable guy in the Tour than Floyd. Landis has put in the domestique time, works as hard as anyone, and has a tremendous backstory. He's smart and talented, and has three stage-race victories to his credit this year.

I try not to go all raving fan-boy here, but I would love to see Landis on the top step in Paris. I've publicly said I would never doubt him again.

That said, there's a lot that Landis will have to overcome this year. The team's exclusion of José Enrique Gutierrez and Santiago Botero leaves Phonak weaker than expected, and Landis has never hit the podium in a grand tour.

Despite the wins in California and Georgia, and at Paris-Nice, I don't think we've seen Landis really pushed to the edge this season. If, as some have said, Landis has only showed 85 percent, and he can recover in the mountains, he'll have a shot.