Tour De France Facing Old, New Challenges

Brest, France (AHN) - The Tour de France begins here for the 95th time on Saturday, but this year may be a test of endurance not only for the cyclists but for the event itself.

Over the past year, the Tour has been tainted by a series of doping scandals that have axed some of its major players from competition. And the organization that runs the contest faces a cloudy future as another group threatens to create a separate league.

Last year's race leader, Michael Rasmussen, was tossed off his team for lying about why he missed drug tests. Failed drug tests by two other riders caused their teams to leave the Tour. Albert Contador, who won last year, couldn't compete this year because his new team was disqualified by doping questions. The American who won two years ago, Floyd Landis, had his champion's jersey reclaimed after he failed a drug test.

Perhaps in reaction to those embarrassments, one of two American teams ready to pedal is being called the "clean team." Team Garmin-Chipotle got the moniker because of its strict drug-testing, anti-doping, rules.

The nine-member squad, which wears blue and white jerseys, was known as Team Slipstream-Chipotle until navigation system maker Garmin signed on as a major sponsor in June.

Even as the Tour works to recover its chemical chastity, the cycling organization itself may be in trouble. Owner and organizer Amaury Sports Organization is in a feud with the International Cycling Union, the sport's governing body.

"Cycling is judged over three weeks in July," tour director Christian Prudhomme told the Associated Press. "I hope everyone has this in mind. Without doubt, it's an important year for the image of cycling."