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 Armstrong's U.S. Postal team.

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

"I wished and hoped I would have the opportunity to become a leader and to wear the yellow jersey," he said.

The rest of Landis story is still to be written and it could well depend on the hip surgery he faces.

"I don't feel my life would have been a failure not having won the Tour but having won it, I'll be much more relaxed about it," he said.

"I'll fight to come back next year or the following year, whatever it takes because cycling is a beautiful sport."