American rider Floyd Landis was in Australia recently as part of the New Pathways for Pro Cycling conference, and will return to the Southern Hemisphere later this month in order to compete in the Tour of Southland.
The 35 year old will guest with the Orca Velo Merino in the six day event, which begins on November 1st. Landis has raced very little this year but hopes to improve upon his performance of nearly twelve months ago.
He was 17th overall in the 2009 race, finishing 16 minutes behind the overall victor Heath Blackgrove (Zookeepers – Cycle Surgery).
Orca Velo Merino team spokesman Richard McIlraith confirmed that Landis would guest with the squad, and said that he was determined to be in good shape for the event and to leave his mark.
“He had a great time last year - he enjoyed the race, he enjoyed the people and he left with the absolute intention of coming back this year and doing even better,” he explained, speaking to NZPA.
The controversial American won the Tour de France in 2006, then subsequently tested positive and was both disqualified from the event and hit with a two year ban. He protested his innocence and fought his suspension, but finally admitted doping this year. He implicated Lance Armstrong plus several others in taking banned substances.
Landis’ actions have been both criticised and commended by those in cycling, with some regarding him as a rider who cheated, lied and who is now out for revenge. Others see him as having made errors, but then accepting he was wrong and to be now acting to help the sport shake off a long-running doping culture.
Race director Bruce Ross appears to be part of the latter group. “He feels he has to put things right,” he told the Associated Press. "He realizes he's made mistakes, but he's served his time and now he just wants to get on with his life.”
Landis will compete alongside the Kiwis Andre de Jong, Andrew McNab and Alex Ray, as well as the Australian riders Samuel Witmitz and Will Tehan.
“It's fair to say he was closely watched last year,” said Ross. "He was a bit of a marked man so he wasn't really able to assert himself that much. But it's clear he really enjoyed it here and he wanted to come back. I'm sure he'll be welcomed by the other riders.”
The 2010 race will begin with a prologue in Invercargill on November 1st, then will conclude five days later in the same city.