Today’s Philadelphia Inquirer pictured him clutching an American flag during his victory lap Sunday above a photo of his parents riding home from church.

Much of the coverage of Floyd Landis’ Tour de France victory continues to play up his Mennonite upbringing — seemingly an endless source of fascination to national and international media.

The Washington Post today said the Mennonite angle could help boost interest in him and professional cycling at a time when the sport is suffering from the retirement of its seven-time champion and international celebrity, Lance Armstrong.

The New York Times offered that Landis could soon find the world “a lot more intrusive as Americans who have undertaken a multiyear embrace of Lance Armstrong turn their attention to a new, largely unknown champion.”

Throughout the race, Landis has continued to answer questions about Lancaster and growing up Mennonite.

“The way I grew up was a bit more simple than the way I live now,” Landis said last week. “But I have wonderful parents and a wonderful family and if they want to make a story out of it, I guess it’s not a bad one.”

In the glare of the media spotlight, Landis has exhibited Mennonite values of hard work, determination and modesty.

“He seems to be on another planet, far from the American-style celebrity,” said Gerard Holtz, a sports commentator for France Television. “He can control his emotions, he is very calm. He’s a true champion, a vulnerable one.”

After clinching the race on Saturday, Landis’ upbeat modesty was again on display.

“Whether my life will change much I don’t know. I hope it doesn’t change too much, because I’m a pretty happy person in general,” he said.

One immediate impact for Landis will be a big payday.

He can expect a $2.5 million bonus from his team, Phonak, for winning the Tour de France. He will also collect roughly $570,000 in prize money — an amount traditionally split among teammates.

Landis has one more year on his three-year, $700,000 contract with his team, Phonak but may see a boost in his endorsements. Sports Illustrated estimates that Armstrong’s annual endorsement income tops $17.5 million.

But with surgery ahead, Landis’ prospects for a continued, lucrative career in cycling remain uncertain — a fact that he seems to have known for some time.

“This career doesn’t last 50 years,” Landis said in a February 2005 interview with PEZ Cycling News. “It lasts 10 years at the most. Nobody races their bicycle assuming they are going to be rich.”