Legend by Landis A victory in the Tour de France like no other

Floyd Landis doesn't wear celebrity with the ease of Lance Armstrong, the seven-time winner of the Tour de France. Landis wasn't the first American to win what is arguably the most challenging athletic event of all, Greg LeMond accomplishing the feat 20 years ago. Still, the 2006 champion has become a legendary figure, that famous yellow jersey fitting him quite perfectly.

Those who follow the tour figured Landis was cooked last week. On Wednesday, he didn't just falter in the Alps. He seemed to collapse, utterly, completely, finis, falling eight minutes behind with the end of the race just days away. Then, he got up the following morning and dusted the field, acsending another portion of the Alps in a manner that might have left even the peerless Armstrong gasping for relief. An outstanding performance in the final time trial, and Landis soon celebrated with his teammates on a Sunday ride into Paris.

Cycling invites enough cynicism that you may ask: What the heck did Landis inject, ingest, or whatever? This tour began with a doping scandal that left many race favorites on the sidelines. For now, we're going to cling to the remarkable Landis story, the Mennonite upbringing in Pennsylvania, the arthritic hip requiring replacement in the fall.

What is it about Americans winning the tour, 11 of the past 21, to be exact? LeMond bounced back from shotgun wounds. Armstrong overcame cancer. Landis practically rose from the dead. That is the resilience required, reflected in the image of Floyd Landis, sweat dripping, legs churning, relentlessly looking ahead, his comeback unmatched in the history of a most storied race.