Biography
Floyd Landis is the second child and oldest son of Paul and Arlene Landis. His childhood home is located in the village of Farmersville in West Earl Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. He was raised in a devout Mennonite family and community.
Landis used his first bike to ride while out fishing with his best friend but quickly learned to enjoy riding for its own sake. At one point, he became determined to ride in a local race. Landis showed up wearing sweatpants because his religion forbade wearing shorts; he won anyway. More wins followed as Landis continued to enjoy the sport. Disturbed at his son's participation in what he considered a "useless" endeavor, Landis's father tried to discourage him from racing his bike by giving him extra chores. This left him no time to train during the day, so he would sneak out of the house at night to train, sometimes at 1 or 2 a.m. and often in the freezing cold. Landis's father, a devout Mennonite, received a tip that his son had been going out at night. He did not appreciate his son's passion for cycling and thought he might be getting into drugs or alcohol. He often followed Landis at a distance to make sure he was not getting into trouble. Landis' father became a hearty supporter of his son and considered himself one of Floyd's biggest fans.
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