Landis' celebrations were shortlived after the Tour de France. GETTY IMAGES

TALK to Auckland lawyer and experienced amateur cyclist Nick Lovegrove about his new team-mate and he’s just a little bit defensive.

“Let’s not dwell on the past,” he says of American Floyd Landis (right), who has joined the Cyclingnz.com/bioSPORT team for the Tour of Southland.

They are focused on winning rather than the scandal surrounding their unlikely team member, who won the Tour de France in 2006 – only to have his title stripped following a failed drug test.

“This is a great chance for the public and the riders to see one of the world’s top riders in action on NZ soil,” says Lovegrove. “Having Floyd on our team is a huge buzz.”

Lovegrove says media coverage Landis’ presence has generated for the event over-rides any negative impact.

Landis, who has always maintained his innocence, returned to the cycling circuit in January this year following a two-year suspension.

Cycling fans and Auckland lawyers Wayne Hudson and Richard McIlraith, along with sponsors Cyclingnz.com and bioSPORT imported Landis.

Nick Lovegrove leads the Cyclingnz.com/bioSPORT Tour of Southland 2008 team. Photo by cyclingnz.com

It was something of a shock to the four original team members, Auckland lawyers Lovegrove, Jeremy Meech, Nico De Jong and Jamie Whyte.

They are slightly in awe the international star is leading the team.

“He seems pretty relaxed about it all,” Lovegrove told NewsWire. “Hopefully, he gets into position and we help him keep in a position to challenge for the overall at the end of the week.”

The cyclingnzshop.com-bioSPORT team failed to win the yellow jersey today. That was claimed by the PowerNet team during stage one team time trials in Invercargill.