Embattled 2006 Tour de France winner Floyd Landis hit out at UCI president Pat McQuaid on Sunday, accusing cycling's top official of poor leadership regarding his dope cheat defense.
Landis, who is appealing his doping positive from stage 17 of last July's triumph to a US Anti-Doping Agency arbitration panel, told the San Jose Mercury News he has already spent US$500,000 preparing for May's hearing.
Landis was reacting to comments from McQuaid who told the Mercury News that Landis was simply doing damage control at an "epic" level to try and prevent a two-year ban and the disgrace of a lifetime.
"Every athlete who tests positive blames the system and somebody else," McQuaid said. "Floyd's no different. Floyd has very expensive lawyers and PR people. He's doing an epic number. The public needs to understand they are hearing one side of the story."
Landis reacted through his communications consultant, saying the comments highlighted the lack of quality leadership at the UCI, and McQuaid's wish to deny him basic rights to defend himself and protect his livelihood.
"At crushing personal expense, building a team of professionals to support me is the only way I have to fight against an unfair system and unsubstantiated allegations," Landis said.
"The UCI should be apologizing that its athletes must go to such lengths to try to protect their basic rights, not criticizing them for the expense they are incurring to defend themselves," Landis said.
"Mr McQuaid started my trial by media when he made his leading comments about a `worst case scenario' adverse analytical finding on July 26. His organization continued to subject me to a public show trial when I had no information with which to defend myself by leaking test results to the New York Times, announcing the results of `A' samples before `B' confirmations, and refusing to inform me of the results of my `B' sample before they announced it in a press release," he said.
"Mr McQuaid should suspend all public comment on my case until it is resolved in an appropriate and professional manner," Landis said.
Landis is staging fundraisers along the route of the Tour of California cycling event this week.
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