Tour de Testosterone

The most vexing mystery is why Landis would suddenly take testosterone as the Tour wound down, since it might not have been of much help. "It doesn't add up," says WADA member Dr. Gary Wadler. "If you're going to get any benefit out of steroids, you would have to have been on the steroids before the Tour de France ever started." Landis notes that he had passed seven other drug tests on the Tour. Plus, testosterone may not be an ideal drug for a quick endurance boost. "It clearly has an effect on power--for throwing a shot put, hitting a baseball," says John Amory, a University of Washington Medical Center endocrinologist. "It wouldn't be my first choice."

What's unknown--and crucial--for Landis is the result of another test on his urine samples, the one that measures the carbon-isotope ratio. This examines the atomic makeup of the testosterone in Landis' body. If the ratio of carbon isotopes matches those found in synthetic testosterone, Landis will be in trouble. But even then, the debate might go on because some scientists say this particular test is not infallible. Says Dine: "With testosterone, there is no scientific consensus."

Landis seems prepared for an ugly ride. "Unfortunately, I don't think it's ever going to go away, no matter what happens next," he said of the allegations. Landis has fallen off his bike before. Let's see if he can get back on this time.