Landis regroups, hits US media

USATODAY.com | Landis fires back at cycling hierachy

Reigning (but for how long) Tour winner Floyd Landis did the media circuit this morning, appearing from Los Angeles with Robin Roberts at ABC's Good Morning America, as well as the Today Show, CNN, ESPN, and CBS.

The first shot of his campaign was an interview with Sal Ruibal, linked above, where Landis claimed the UCI and WADA have been very slow to provide him with information on his positive tests.

“I just got the information on the 'A' sample a day and half ago,” he said. “I had to find out about the 'B' from reading it in the media.”

Landis emphasized to Ruibal and Roberts that he regrets talking to the media immediately, speculating on possible reasons for a test whose actual results he hadn't yet seen:

“I've been catching a lot of grief in the press: ‘Floyd has a new excuse, a new reason for what happened.’ This is a situation where I'm forced to defend myself in the media. It would never have happened if UCI and WADA had followed their own rules,” Landis said.

“There's some kind of agenda there,” he said wearily. “I just don't know what it is.”

Landis has scheduled his hip surgery for about 2 weeks from now, and looks likely to combine recuperation, preparation, and adjudication, as he will face a USADA hearing in the next month or so.

Also:

The Valley News | Murrieta welcomes home Tour de France champ

Murrieta mayor Kelly Seyarto says “We are not in a position to make a judgment one way or the other,” and that the city plans to honor Landis “more officially.”