MADRID: Floyd Landis was in Madrid on Friday and planned to hold a news conference about the positive doping test that threatens to wipe out his Tour de France victory, his lawyer's office said.

It will be the American cyclist's first public appearance since Thursday's announcement by his team, Phonak, that he tested positive for abnormal levels of testosterone after the 17th stage of the Tour.

Landis said on Thursday he had no idea what might have caused his positive test.

``All I'm asking for is that I be given a chance to prove I'm innocent,'' he said.

War against doping

Meanwhile the head of cycling's world governing body pledged to wage ``a crusade against doping'' after the Tour de France winner Floyd Landis tested positive for elevated levels of testosterone.

Pat McQuaid, president of the International Cycling Union, cautioned that, while Landis's first urine sample was positive, ``we have to wait for the B sample before we can start the sanctioning process.''

He said the backup sample would likely be tested in one to two weeks, with Landis likely to appear at the French national doping laboratory for the analysis.

``He doesn't have to, he can send lawyers or experts, but nine times out of 10 a rider shows up as well so he can see the process,'' McQuaid said.

McQuaid agreed that the cloud of suspicion over Floyd was the worst possible outcome for this year's Tour de France, the premier event in international cycling.

``I would certainly say so, to have the winner of our major event declared positive,'' McQuaid, an Irishman appointed to the post last year, said in a phone interview with The Associated Press.

McQuaid said he was disgusted with the way drugs accusations overshadowed this year's Tour — and promised within the next few weeks he would unveil ``a crusade against doping'' to ensure this didn't happen again. He declined to discuss specifics of his plans.

Career stained

Floyd Landis denied that he cheated to win the Tour de France, but said on Thursday that his career would forever be stained by his positive test for high testosterone during the sport's premier event.

"Unfortunately, I don't think it's ever going to go away no matter what happens next," Landis said during a teleconference.

The Phonak team suspended Landis, pending results of the backup "B" sample of his drug test. If Landis is found guilty, he could be stripped of the Tour title and fired from the team.

"I think there's a good possibility I'll clear my name," Landis said. "Regardless of whether this happens or not, I don't know if this will ever go away."

Give me a chance

Landis said he wouldn't be surprised if people were sceptical of him and the sport of cycling, but he pleaded for time to clear his name.

"All I'm asking for," he said, "is that I be given a chance to prove that I'm innocent. Cycling has a traditional way of trying people in the court of public opinion before they get a chance to do anything else."

Asked repeatedly what might have tripped his positive test, Landis refused to lay blame on anything in particular. "As to what actually caused it on that particular day, I can only speculate," he said.

Landis said he was still in Europe, but declined to say exactly where. "Not to be elusive, I have to figure out a way to get to the airport and get home."

Stout support

Support for Landis came from his mother, Arlene, who stoutly defended her son after he assured the family that he was "clean."

After speaking with Floyd by telephone, Arlene Landis said she was convinced that her 30-year-old son did nothing wrong, and blasted cycling's governing body, International Cycling Union (UCI) for "spoiling everything."

"My opinion is when he comes on top of this, everyone will think so much more of him. So that's what valleys are for, right?" she said, smiling through gritted teeth outside her home in Farmersville, Pennsylvania. — Agencies

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