PARIS, July 31 - Tour de France winner Floyd Landis, who tested positive for testosterone on his way to victory in cycling's showpiece event, should find out shortly if the counter-analysis he has requested confirms the result.

A source close to the anti-doping laboratory testing the B-sample said the result would be known soon.

If the positive test were confirmed, the American would be stripped of his Tour victory and Oscar Pereiro of Spain, who finished second overall in this month's race, would be declared the winner.

It would be the first time in the history of the sport's showpiece event that a Tour winner has been disqualified for doping.

His Phonak team said Landis would be dismissed if the B result was also positive.

The American, who has denied any wrongdoing and said his body naturally produced high levels of testosterone, has said he intends to continue racing once he has had an operation on his hip.

The 30-year-old tested positive for the male sex hormone after an astounding comeback in the last mountain stage of this year's Tour in the French Alps, just a day after a very poor performance which all but knocked him out of contention.

If the positive test is confirmed, USA Cycling, the American federation, would have a month to make a ruling, the most likely decision being a two-year ban.

Landis's lawyers could then take the matter to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) and a long procedure would begin.