Floyd Landis, the controversial winner of the 2006 Tour de France, will attend El Tour de Tucson today.
He could ride or be a spectator.
Race founder Richard DeBernardis said Landis was trying to decide whether to ride on a tandem with coach Robbie Ventura, ride alone or be a spectator.
If Landis does cycle, he would not do so competitively because he is recovering from hip surgery, DeBernardis said.
"He loves El Tour," said DeBernardis, who learned late Friday afternoon that Landis would attend the event. He said Landis, 31, arrived in Tucson on Friday. "This was his first 100-mile event. We're real impressed he wants to hang out with us."
Landis won the world's toughest cycling event, the Tour de France, in July.
After the event, it was revealed that two urine samples taken during the tour showed elevated testosterone levels in Landis' system.
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Landis is fighting to clear his name and will make his case at a hearing by the American Arbitration Association early next year. He will be stripped of the Tour title if the loses his appeal.
Last year's El Tour winner, Curtis Gunn, wants to defend his El Tour title. But he knows that will be far from easy.
As usual, the field will be stocked with talent. Plus, Gunn crashed in his last race 10 days ago, bruising his right shoulder, collarbone and back in the Tour of Southland in New Zealand.
Two cyclists ahead of Gunn hit a parked car, starting a crash that involved eight cyclists and sent three, including Gunn, to a hospital.
He did not suffer any broken bones, but he did not ride again until Thursday.
"I'm fairly beat up," said Gunn, a 35-year-old Tucson resident who won last year's 109-mile El Tour in 4 hours 21 minutes 23 seconds. "I'll get on the line and see how it goes.
"If I can make it through the two river crossings and be OK, I can survive. I'll be a bit of a marked man after last year."
DeBernardis said he expects about 5,000 cyclists to register for the 109-mile race, the main attraction of the 24th El Tour. About 8,200 have signed up for all the El Tour activities, which include races of 80, 67, 33 and four miles, along with a quarter-miler.
Top cyclists include Ventura, the 2001 and 2002 El Tour winner, and Doug Loveday, who won the 1991 El Tour and was third last year, 1984 Olympic silver medalist Steve Bauer and 1984 Olympic gold medalist Steve Hegg, who is bringing his pro cycling team, Successful Living. The team has six riders, including Gunn, 1994 El Tour champion Drew Miller and U.S. national team member Alexi Martinez.
"There's no pressure," said Hegg, who drove from San Diego for the event. "Our six guys will try to ride as a team and help each other out."
Gunn said: "We'll work together and see who's riding well. I'm happy to be in a supporting role because I'm limited by my wreck."
Two-time defending women's champion Suzanne Sonye, who is based in Boulder, Colo., will be racing in her sixth El Tour.
"My goal is to never beat the girls, but to just hang with the boys," she said. "It's just how I've always been. I want to keep up with the first group."
Other top female contenders are Canadian pro Alex Wrubleski and Oro Valley's Tammy Struiksma, who won the 2003 Tour of the Tucson Mountains.
Today
● What: El Tour de Tucson
● When: 7 a.m.
● Who: About 8,000 cyclists
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