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Originally posted by Harold_89_911
I'm not an expert and have been struggling with the same questions. From talking to different people, T would have helped to speed up muscle recovery and would have helped his mental state, making him a more agressive rider.
So, assuming he did it, how did he think he could get away with it? My theory at this point is that he never expected to win the stage, let alone the tour. Maybe you remember Pantani the day after Lance gave him the stage win on Mont Ventoux. His ego was so hurt that the next day he went all out to prove himself to the world, hoping that Lance would try and follow him and compromise the rest of the tour for Lance. I think Landis' purpose was to hurt his opponents (he said before the stage that he was going to make them work for the victory, not that he was going to try and win) and he already had given up on a victory. He must have been really surprised that they did not try to follow him and suddenly he was a contender again, with a urine sample at the end of the day.
I know this is just a theory, but it is the only one that makes sense to me so far. I don't tend to believe in big conspiracy theories, even though blaming the French for all that's bad in the world seems to be the PC thing to do.
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Landis said in an interview Monday that he believed he was the strongest cyclist at the beginnng of Stage 17, and by the first hill, attacking it as he did, and with no one else following, he knew he was the strongest.
His opponents hurt themselves by not trying to stay with him. Whether Landis was doped up or not, it was a great tactical move on his part.