Representatives of 2006 Tour de France winning American cyclist Floyd Landis have accused the French lab which conducted his disputed doping tests of destroying data from the samples.
Landis's representatives said Monday the LNDD (National de Depistage du Dopage) lab outside Paris destroyed original data from the samples collected after stage 17 and erased critical evidence stored as electronic files on a computer hard drive.
It was after stage 17 that Landis tested positive for elevated levels of the hormone testosterone. The lab allegedly destroyed the samples before Landis's independent experts and U.S. Anti-Doping Agency officials were scheduled to arrive to witness the retrieval and analysis of the files.
Meanwhile, France's anti-doping agency has asked outside experts to verify the lab handled the tests correctly. The director of the agency did not respond to Landis's accusations and declined to name the outside experts.
