Celebrations end prematurely for Landis

PARIS, Aug 5 (Reuters) Tour de France celebrations have not lasted long for Floyd Landis, who was found guilty of doping today.

The 30-year-old American will now probably lose his title after a B sample today confirmed excessive amounts of the male sex hormone testosterone.

No winner had never failed a doping test in the 92 previous editions of the world's most famous road race.

It is all a long way from the community of Mennonites, a branch of the Christian Anabaptist church in Pennsylvania into which the American was born.

The Landis home had phones and electricity but no television and the young Floyd longed to escape, discover the world and fulfil his passion for cycling.

He bought his first mountain bike at 15, started to train after nightfall, won the first mountain bike race he entered and was crowned junior national champion in 1993.

At 20, he decided to move to southern California to become a full time rider, switched to road racing and promptly joined seven-times Tour champion Lance Armstrong's U.S. Postal team.

The split between Armstrong and his lieutenant came in 2005 when Landis joined the Swiss team Phonak.

''My parents have taught me the value of work, courage and patience,'' Landis said during the Tour.

''I wished and hoped I would have the opportunity to become a leader and to wear the yellow jersey.'' Landis again today denied ever taking drugs.

''I have never taken any banned substance, including testosterone. I was the strongest man in the Tour de France, and that is why I am the champion,'' Landis said in a statement on his Web site.

''I will fight these charges with the same determination and intensity that I bring to my training and racing. It is now my goal to clear my name and restore what I worked so hard to achieve.'' REUTERS AY PC1628