Paris ? Floyd Landis lost his expensive and explosive case Thursday when two of three arbitrators upheld the results of a test that showed the 2006 Tour de France champion used synthetic testosterone to fuel his spectacular comeback victory.

The decision means Landis, who repeatedly has denied using performance-enhancing drugs, must forfeit his Tour title and is subject to a two-year ban, retroactive to Jan. 30, 2007.

Not that it changes his opinion of who the rightful winner was.

“I am innocent,” he said, “and we proved I am innocent.”

The majority of the panel disagreed. According to documents obtained by the Associated Press, lead arbitrator Patrice Brunet and Richard McLaren voted to uphold the positive test with Christopher Campbell dissenting.

In its 84-page decision, the majority found the initial screening test to measure Landis’ testosterone levels – the testosterone-to-epitestosterone test – was not done according to World Anti-Doping Agency rules. But the more precise and expensive carbon-isotope ratio analysis (IRMS), performed after a positive T-E test is recorded, was accurate, the arbitrators said, meaning “an anti-doping rule violation is established.”

“Today’s ruling is a victory for all clean athletes and everyone who values fair and honest competition,” U.S. Anti-Doping Agency CEO Travis Tygart said.

Now, Landis is left with one final way to possibly salvage his title – an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. If Landis doesn’t appeal – or appeals and loses – he’ll be the first person in the 105-year history of the race to lose the title because of a doping offense.

“This ruling is a blow to athletes and cyclists everywhere,” Landis, 31, said. “For the Panel to find in favor of USADA when, with respect to so many issues, USADA did not manage to prove even the most basic parts of their case shows that this system is fundamentally flawed.”

He still is weighing his legal options, according to a statement released by his legal team.

“This is a miscarriage of justice,” said Maurice Suh, the lead attorney for Landis.

“He is at the mercy of people much bigger than him,” said Landis’ mother, Arlene, speaking to WGAL-TV in Lancaster, Pa.