Spaniard Oscar Pereiro may be given the title of winner of the 2006 Tour de France, should Floyd...
Oscar Pereiro (Caisse d'Epargne) (Image credit: Jon Devich)
Spaniard Oscar Pereiro may be given the title of winner of the 2006 Tour de France, should Floyd Landis lose the honor after arbitration over his failed doping test is complete, but the Caisse d'Epargne rider does not feel like the race winner. Pereiro told the press, "I am not considering myself as the Tour de France winner," reports Reuters. "In the statutes, Floyd is still the winner. So for now, it's Floyd, not me."
Landis, who faces losing the title if his appeal fails, will try to prove his innocence at an American Arbitration Association hearing early next year. The Amaury Sport Organisation (ASO), has been hit hard by the recent doping scandals, and snubbed the former Phonak rider during the presentation of the 2007 Tour de France route, displaying his image on the final podium dissolving into a broken mirror. Who, if anyone, will wear the number 1 at the start of the Tour in London remains to be seen. Race director Christian Prudhomme said, "We do not have the right to decide who is the winner of the Tour, so we just have to wait and see."
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Laura Weislo has been with Cyclingnews since 2006 after making a switch from a career in science. As Managing Editor, she coordinates coverage for North American events and global news. As former elite-level road racer who dabbled in cyclo-cross and track, Laura has a passion for all three disciplines. When not working she likes to go camping and explore lesser traveled roads, paths and gravel tracks. Laura specialises in covering doping, anti-doping, UCI governance and performing data analysis.
