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Landis tries another comeback, for reputation

Tour de France winner Floyd Landis had only three days to celebrate his victory. He has spent the time since in a legal battle for his reputation. The latest stage of his uphill battle came Monday, when Landis submitted his appeal of a French lab`s test results to the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA). He claims his `A` and `B` urine samples from stage 17 of the Tour de France do not meet the established World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) criteria for a positive doping offense.

A urine sample Landis gave tested positive for high levels of testosterone - an enhancing male hormone. Landis said in a statement that "the analysis in this case is replete with fundamental, gross errors." Under the USADA rules, the agency could not comment on the specifics of any doping case. The review board is expected to make a recommendation within a week.

"I look forward to restoring my good name so that I can focus on my hip replacement and begin training for next season," the 30 year-old cyclist said. His doping case reminds Landis of "the same things that happened to Marion Jones." In the case of the American track star, Jones failed a drug test at the US Track and Field Championships in June. She was eventually cleared when it was announced her B sample had returned negative. Landis too hopes for better days to come.