Letters to Cyclingnews - September 6, 2007

Here's your chance to get more involved with Cyclingnews. Comments and criticism on current stories, races, coverage and anything cycling related are welcomed, even pictures if you wish. Letters should be brief (less than 300 words), with the sender clearly identified. They may be edited for space and clarity; please stick to one topic per letter. We will normally include your name and place of residence, but not your email address unless you specify in the message.

Please email your correspondence to letters@cyclingnews.com.

Cycling vs. soccer
Floyd Landis decision
UCI, ASO, LeMond, et al who cares? Riders
Lawyers in the Landis case
LeMond's comments
Riders taking the fall?
US Postal/Discovery R.I.P.

Cycling vs. soccer

Has anyone noticed that soccer is, in regards to doping, in the same state that cycling was 10 years ago? Almost every phrase that cycling-fans have heard time and time again over the last decade is now spoken in the world of soccer. So far I've heard

-from official representatives:
1. "Soccer is 99% clean"
2. "There is no systematic doping in soccer"

-from players:
1. "Never heard of it"
2. "Would never do it"
3. "Never had any contact whatsoever..."
4. "Every cheater should be punished hard..."

But at the same time players disappear from the Fuentes-list and all over Spain and the rest of Europe players drop dead just like a lot of cyclists have in the past, before doping-tests have been improved. And to be fair, regarding test quality, soccer or any other sport for that matter doesn't show much progress. Everybody is in the state of denial. "As long as there is no positive test there is no doping" seems to be the dictum. Hopefully that will change, because I love both sports.

And thinking about the progress that has been made in cycling, I believe one shouldn't be that pessimistic about the future of cycling.

M. Thinius
Monday September 3 2007

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Floyd Landis decision

I believe that you would have been better off to keep quiet. Defending attorneys? In this country, the practice of law is about making partner. Making partner is about "billable hours". Lawyers have the reputations they do because they are some of the only people in the world who have the audacity to believe that they are worth hundreds of dollars an hour. Some people are afraid to call their attorney because they've experienced the result of a ten minute phone call being billed as an hour. Don't go to lunch with your attorney because you'll end up buying their lunch and you'll get billed for the time that they spend with you. Don't go to court because it will cost you upwards of $2,000 a day. Please Mr. Carillo; you should have spent your time defending Vino, Sinkewitz, or some other vilified rider. At least some people still think that they're ok. Earning a JD in this country is no different than a license to steal.

Doug Lister
San Dieg, USAo
Friday August 31 2007

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Floyd Landis decision #2

With the long delay in rendering a decision in the Landis case, it would seem based on the memo ESPN acquired that, in addition to being inexcusably slow; the arbitration panel is now going outside the process to interview its own expert, Dr. Francesco Botre of the WADA lab in Rome.

Both sides had an opportunity to present their evidence; the case should be judged on this evidence, and not weigh the opinion of a third party which neither side can cross examine or question regarding competency or expertise.

Given that Botre is a WADA employee, it's not terribly hard to guess where he might stand. It's clear at this point, Landis's guilt or innocence aside, that the last bit of credibility in this "process" is gone.

Kurt R. Bickel
Reno, USA
Friday August 31 2007

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Floyd Landis decision #3

Edward, I also am a cyclist and a lawyer and to read your assessment of the Landis case saddens me as to the state of the legal system in the States.

The case put up by Landis' legal team is based on the old adage "If you can't dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with bullshit".

The arbitrators were subjected to a series of scenarios to explain Landis' abnormal readings alleging incompetence and conspiracy by one of the most respected laboratories in the world.

They presented 'hired gun' 'experts' who, for a price, would say anything to try and further confuse the proceedings by manipulation the raw data to produce the Landis desired result. Nothing of any substance was produced, from my reading of the transcript of the proceedings, save for an accumulation of subrogated counter results which any expert could conjure up from data vulnerable to such exploitation.

No explanation was provided to the arbitrators as to the various bizarre excuses made by Landis following the positive A sample. Is it seriously suggested that a person in Landis' position, who is supposedly innocent, would conjure up a list of such crazy reasons to attempt explain away the abnormal reading. I was waiting for the disappearing twin to appear!

As for the time taken for a judgement, you know as well as I that it is required of the arbitrators to deal with each and every issue and submission by both parties in their judgement otherwise it is flawed providing grounds for appeal or worse still, a rehearing. Bearing mind the extent of the evidence, they are obligated to consider in each and every piece of evidence and each submission in their judgement. Is it therefore so surprising that it has taken so long for the finding to be handed down? I think not.

John Tomko
Sydney, Australia
Tuesday September 4 2007

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Floyd Landis decision #4

Let me get this straight.

It was established through testimony during the Landis hearing that the WADA code of ethics is to not say anything against another WADA labs work.

The "expert" the panel is using to explain the science presented in the testimony, is in charge of the WADA lab in Rome.

Attorneys for either side will not be present when this WADA accredited lab official explains the science presented during the hearing.

I fear things do not bode well for Floyd.

John Sinz
Friday August 31 2007

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UCI, ASO, LeMond, et al who cares? Riders

Lets open our eyes: In response to the now famous 'LeMond comments', I agree with Mr. LeMond and would actually like to see things taken a bit further when it comes to changing the sport of cycling. I'm not sure what state most people think "our sport" is in right now, but if individuals believe that the "sport" will be around if things continue as they are under the UCI then they are gravely mistaken. While some of what LeMond said might seem a little extreme, it is not outrageous to monitor riders much more closely before events. This sport depends on riders being honest; we have seen from 1998 (Festina affair) and forward that riders are not able to stop the temptation to dope. Keep in mind that an ongoing debate continues on whether cycling will continue in the Olympics! Currently cycling's reputation is worse than Track & Field...and even Weight Lifting!

It is of course an economic issue that has led to this new more serious doping and that is where big names like LeMond, Merckx, Hinault and Armstrong can help most. As you can see the "economics" of cycling are in bad shape--Discovery disbanded although 8 of the last 9 tour winners were produced by Tailwind...if the Yankees won 8 of 9 World Series they wouldn't have trouble finding a sponsor for the billboard in centre field. As riders are finding it harder to find teams that can pay a "higher" scale, and major teams like T-Mobile, Milram and Astana are questioning whether to stay in the sport; and all while we worry if riders are being intruded upon for two hours before a race! C'mon, use some common sense; the sport should be all over everyone at this point, from team leaders to team mechanics and medical staff. I'd like the UCI to employ "all doctors to all teams" and rotate them around the sport; making them more like referees than "medical program" specialists that they are today. Any good doctor can inject vitamin B and check to see if a rider has a fever! I think that each team should pool the "medical budgets" and make this happen now…In addition to this, the UCI should demand that riders be available for tests; if you miss a test once, you cannot race for one month or until cleared by further more "evasive" testing. Family, friends and general 'hangers on' should not have unlimited access to the riders during major tours or events; we've all seen where this goes--right to the I.V. bag. In return, riders should be compensated with guaranteed contracts of a minimum of two years with a pension program for riders who complete four years in the sport. The UCI, ASO and others should all contribute to help riders who have committed to being clean and racing fair.

Side note about "Heamatocrit levels being tested four times a year"…That's just silly. Levels are checked to make sure that you do not exceed 50 right now, specific numbers for average age riders under stress are 42-44; anything above that and unless you are super natural it is clear that something is not right. Of course exceptions can be made, but only if the person has a long history of 46 and above. In order for you to have an idea of your level you'll need to be tested four times a month at the least; Hinault won the TDF in '85 with a level of 43 if I remember the results correctly.

Last comment: I've watched this sport since 1986, loved it since 1988 and have been saddened for the last ten, not because of Lance's domination of the TDF but because of what happened around 1992 when riders would boast of heart rates in the 60s while others were in the 120s (see the 1992 TDF comments of rider Alan Piper on C. Chiapucci). Obviously we were heading in the wrong direction even then. Like the nuclear build up of the Cold War we saw what could happen when money, winning, medical programs and fame entered the sport of Kings. Lance was not the problem; he was a symptom of the sport. Clean or not, he forced everyone else to do something to catch up. Just ask nearly any rider who rode in the "top ten" of the TDF during Lance's reign; show me a contender who was "not" under suspicion. I ride for fun and fitness now, but it was not always that way for me. I had dreams of winning and I'm not sure that I was not cheated on the early morning roads of New York trying to place in qualifying events. Now I look at my three year old and wonder if I will put him on a saddle and tell him to be the next Taylor Phinney or Saul Raisin.

Craig Pavia
Jersey City, USA
Saturday September 1 2007

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Lawyers in the Landis case

Mr.Carrillo, the cyclist/attorney, missed the point about lawyers in the Landis case profiting "as they always do". The point is not whether lawyers deserve to be paid (though whether they deserve to be paid such ridiculously high fees is certainly debatable), but how lawyers always seem to benefit in a case even when everyone else is losing. The Landis case has dragged on far too long, with Landis, Pereiro, the WADA, and the UCI, cycling fans, and cycling in general, all suffering. The only people gaining anything out of this delay are the very same people responsible for the delay: lawyers. Mr.Carrillo said it himself that we should blame the arbitration panel, and not the attorneys, for drawing the case out so long, but who is the arbitration panel composed of? Three lawyers.

Rob Found
Canada
Friday August 31 2007

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LeMond's comments

There have been few times in my life where I have found it necessary to admit that I may have made a mistake and to apologize publicly for something I have said or done. This is one of those times.

Greg LeMond is a gentleman and someone who has a love and passion for cycling equal to any of us who have straddled a bike. His passion for cycling is only eclipsed by his integrity willingness to stand up for what he believes in. He loves this sport and is willing put himself out there, he was willing to defend his position and educate rather than attack. I have nothing but respect for someone who is willing to do so.

I feel I have every right to be angry about what is going on in our sport. I have no right to question Mr. LeMond's motivation and less his integrity. I believe in Mr LeMond and wish him nothing but the best.

Jacob Motola
Seattle, Washington, USA
Sunday September 2 2007

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LeMond's comments #2

Greg LeMond is entitled to his opinions. He inspired and did more for cycling than any of you critics ever have or ever will. Because of him, we got to watch the Tour de France break into mainstream America's homes during the 1980's. Because of him, America began to be recognized as a serious country about cycling. Why does everyone have to criticize the man for speaking his opinions?

Doesn't it make sense that the most vocal critics of the current situation in Professional cycling are probably the ones that care most about cycling's future? Who knows who else has doped in the peloton, I'm sure that they're a handful of former Tour winners, maybe more, who have doped. Doesn't it make sense that none of them would ever criticize the system that still honours their victories? Why do we as Americans, build up our heroes, and then tear them down? Greg is a hero and will always be a hero.

David Calabro
Wednesday September 5 2007

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LeMond's comments #3

I must weigh in on the reaction to Greg LeMond's recent comments about doping in cycling. Mr. LeMond has witnessed first hand the behind-the-scenes activity of professional cyclists. This is a world that many of us aspire to. I fear that being afforded a glimpse into that world would alter our illusions.

It is natural to question Mr. LeMond's politics and his motivations for publicly speculating which professionals are competing clean. Regardless, the information we have before us indicates that cycling has a long standing tradition of doping. Those who wish can sit back and analyse legal semantics played out to distract from the fact that riders who test positive need to be disciplined. Others amongst us can sit back and appreciate that some, like Mr. LeMond, choose to voice their opinions and shed light on a sordid affair.

David Letourneau
Montreal, Canada
Friday August 31 2007

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Riders taking the fall?

I've had all I can take of the doping issues in cycling. I raced all over the U.S. and Europe and have competed against many former and current professional riders. I am familiar with the progression of the "amazing" performances of some of the top professional cyclists from the early 90's until now. Suffice it to say that the last time I really saw "true" suffering in the Tour de France was the last time Stephen Roche won. Since then, the apparent ease with which riders have been winning major races has made me loose interest in the sport.

There have been enough riders caught and enough admitting their doping product use that I for one choose to assume that EVERY rider in the professional peloton uses performance enhancing substances. While some may not be illegal yet, it doesn't mean they aren't using something that the rest of the "clean" riders can't or won't use. Trying to catch each rider individually red handed is ridiculous. It would be impossible to clean up the sport one rider at a time.

So why not assume that ALL riders are using whatever it takes to compete in today's cycling world. It doesn't mean you have to accuse every other rider that hasn't been caught. It's just an admission that there is widespread use of doping products by enough riders to force a change in one of two ways. Either you test for Heamatocrit for the rider's health sake and let everything else be legal or find a REAL way to clean up the entire sport.

The riders are taking the fall for all of this when it's the sport in general that forces this. The pressure put on the riders for records and wins to attract and keep sponsors is the real cause. It's big business that is forcing the riders and teams to find ways to be more competitive. Unfortunately, one of the drawbacks is present and former racers such as myself becoming disenchanted with the sport. When the riders don't suffer the way I did in my day, I loose interest because at my best, they could leave me like I leave a kid with training wheels. Even though my racing days are behind me, it kills the dream that I could have competed with them in my prime. If teams and sponsors think there are enough fans that are ignorant to all of this, then please continue. Just don't expect me to follow cycling any longer.

Joe Arnone
Kalispell, MT
Thursday August 30 2007

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US Postal/Discovery R.I.P.

Mat..... Look at the stats. Discovery did focus on the Tour but won other great races as well.

With regards to a sponsor, Armstrong for all his popularity in the States could not find a decent sponsor based on the fact that in the US major sponsorship money is not directed at cycling. It would boggle the mind to see how much money (billions) is in US sport sponsorships. Cycling, unfortunately is still not on the radar in a major way in the US do to the wide sporting interests in the US.

Any French sponsor would pay out millions of euros to win just one Tour, so your point regarding Euro sponsorship does not hold water.

Greg H.
Texas, USA
Friday August 31 2007

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Recent letters pages

Letters 2007

• August 31: LeMond’s comments, Farewell De Peet, Cycling needs a Norma Rae, Vino & human rights?, Cadel was robbed, Floyd Landis decision, Market beliefs, Sinkewitz Positive.
• August 23: Biting the hand that feeds you, Cadel was robbed, Congratulations to grand tour organizers, Cycling needs a Norma Rae, Discovery folding, Drugs and cycling, Fewer ProTour teams, Floyd Landis decision, Petacchi’s asthma, Science of doping, Sinkewitz positive, Tailwind withdrawal, The good news...., Unibet, what a shame, World’s exclusion, Vino: "a clear violation of human rights"?,
• August 17: Dying from within..., Cadel was robbed, Biting the hand that feeds you, Discovery folding, Astana-Tour cover-up?, Christian Moreni, UCI may lose it all, Drugs & cycling, Aussie proTour team, Valverde and the worlds, Klöden: are things getting out of control?, Congratulations to grand tours organizers
• August 10: Smarter Drug Testing, Cassani and Rasmussen, Bruyneel: take doping seriously, The dubious Disco boys, Spanish ethics, Who's to blame for doping?, Untrustworthy authorities, Insurance for pro riders, Science of doping, It's working?, State of cycling, Less mountain stages, Positively false, Sinkewitz positive, Team suspensions, Tour ethics, Vino response, Editorials call for ending Tour, Revoking le Tours jerseys, LeMond, the voice crying out in the desert, WADA vigilantes
• August 3, Part 1: What about team suspensions?, WADA vigilantes, Vino response, Vino excluded, but why the whole team?, Unanswered questions, Tour de France doping "scandals", State of cycling, Spanish ethics and the A.C. joke, Sinkewitz positive, Secondary testing?, Editorials calling for ending Tour, Rasmussen's location, Quality control and anti doping, Positively False, McQuaid: not the Godfather of cycling, Less mountain stages
• August 3, Part 2: LeMond, the voice crying out in the desert, Le Tour, L'affaire Vino, It’s the culture, IOC questioning cycling in Olympics, Greg LeMond is not surprised, Greg LeMond, German TV, Due process, Evans v Contador - the real margin of victory, Doping, the media and the MPCC, Doping, Evans, Dope tests and the tour, Different perspective on doping, David Millar, Cycling revolution, Cadel was robbed, Bruyneel a 'man in black'?, Another drug test result leaked, Andy Hampsten
• July 27 Part 1: 80's style back in fashion?, A great few days for cycling, Vino excluded, but why the whole team?, Another drug test result leaked, ASO discretion in administering Tour justice, Astana in stage 5, Astana’s tactics, Bad day for Australia, Bloody dopes, Cadel Evans, Catching Vino is good news, Conspiracy?, David "what a joke" Millar, Doping, Doping controls, Tour ethics, German TV, LeMond, the voice crying out in the desert, How many big bastards in the peloton?
• July 27 Part 2: How will cycling survive, Kazahkstan Pie, Kessler's lie, Landis and lie detector, Landis testing, Le maillot jaune is gone, LeMond and mitochondria myopathy, The'Vino' scene, Losing time and bouncing back, Losing my religion, Moreau, No, not Vino, Out of season testing and baseline tests, PED's, Revoking le Tours jerseys, Petacchi out
• July 20: What about team suspensions?, Tyler Hamilton, Stuttgart Worlds, Sinkewitz positive, Petacchi out!, Bad day for Australia, Kessler's lie, Landis and lie detector, LeMond and mitochondria myopathy, Intestinal problems, Greg LeMond, the voice crying out in the desert, Fair doping tests, Drug testing and sequence of recorded results, Revoking le Tours jerseys, Advice for Stapleton and Sinkewitz, Astana in stage 5, Crashes, bike changes & team cars
• July 13: Fair doping tests, Tyler Hamilton, Tour downright exciting!, Stuttgart(?) Worlds, Rocketing Robbie v tormented Tommy, Armstrong's comment to ASO, Petacchi out, LeMond and mitochondria myopathy, Intestinal Problems, Incentive for doping, Imagine, UCI agreement, Does the UCI test for blood transfusions?, The real heroes, Bicycle options,
• July 5: Tour de France boring!, The real heroes, The flying Scotsman, Signing the contract, No Zabriskie?, LeMond and mitochondria myopathy, Incentive for Doping, Bicycle Options, Anti-doping charter, Sale of the century
• June 29: "The Flying Scotsman",Cancellara,The real heroes, Categorised Climbs, Tour for Devolder and Zabriskie?, Tour de France, boring!,Nationalistic pride, Anti Doping Charter, Bicycle Options, Doping, Doping Coverage - Enough already..., Who dopes? Who doesn't? Who cares!
• June 22: Anti Doping Charter, The real heroes, Basso's "suspension", Categorized climbs, Bicycle options, Greg LeMond and record ITT's, It is about us!, Finding the clean winner of the TdF?, Tour de France, BORING!, Prudhomme and the 1996 Tour farce, Riis, the '96 Tour and Prudhomme, Amnesty for doping..., Cycling, doping....???, Who dopes? Who doesn't? Who cares!
• June 15: Bicycle options, New Trek Madone, A week of confessions, Cycling - not yet a real professional sport, Di Luca's finest win..., Three Tour wins for Ullrich?, Ullrich getting screwed, Giro fever, Amnesty for doping offenses, Greg LeMond and record ITTs, Is drafting a known doper cheating?, Let's sort this mess out, Doping hypocrisy, Cycling, doping....?, Prudhomme and the1996 Tour farce, Simoni goes 1850 meters / hour
• June 8: Di Luca's finest win, Simoni goes 1850 metres / hour, What ever happened to Iban Mayo?, Andy the Dandy, Three Tour wins for Ullrich?, Ullrich getting screwed, Percentage of pros with asthma, Amnesty for doping offenses, ling - not yet a real professional sport, Doping and cycling, Greg LeMond and record ITTs, Meaningless defense, We are out of denial - Let's look forward
• June 1, part 1: A thought for cycling's true heroes..., A cunning plan, A great opportunity for the UCI, Admissions of guilt, Let's have some real confessions, Amnesty is the way forward, Suggestions for an amnesty, Amnesty, Amnesty or punishment?, ASO's double standard, Tour Clowns, Bjarne Riis, Bjarne Riis confession, Riis must go, Riis, Basso, Zabel, et al..., Repairing the Magenta Express, Tip of the iceberg, Riis and winning the tour on EPO
• June 1, part 2: Confessions?, Honour - Seemingly rare in cycling, How deep do you go?, Who do we give it to?, A week of confessions, Peer pressure, Mind boggling hypocrisy, Pro cycling - Sometimes you make it hard to love you, Meaningless defence, Riding with Lance, Lucky Lance, Cheating by proxy, LeMond trying to tear down US riders , So, if Floyd is right..., Thank you Floyd, Floyd Landis hearing, Mr. Young's closing arguments, Something more important..., What ever happened to Iban Mayo?, Percentage of pros with asthma:
• May 23: Landis case live coverage, LeMond a true champion, Questioning LeMond's motives, LeMond trying to tear down US riders, Saint LeMond, Landis and his character, Landis has made cycling a joke, Landis had his drink spiked?, Landis in a corner, Landis polygraph?, Landis' disclosure of information, The quality of Landis' character, Landis' behaviour, Joe Papp
• May 18: Armstrong can defend himself, Di Brat, Chris Hoy's world kilo record attempt , Hoy in sixty seconds, What ever happened to Iban Mayo?, Hypocrisy of the cycling world, Italian Reactions to Basso, Who's telling the truth?, Basso + Ullrich = Armstrong?, Basso still a legend, Simoni vs Basso, Basso, Landis etc The new mafia?, Landis to ask UCI to boot Pound, Vinokourov to claim second in '05 TdF?, Percentage of pros with asthma, Unibet at Dunkerque
• May 11: An attempt at doping?, Almost as bad as Ullrich, Basso admission, Hats off Basso, Basso still a legend, Basso's attempted plea bargain, Basso and Discovery, Discovery's PR, Basso vs Simoni , Truth and Reconciliation Commission, A means to an end, Hypocrisy of the cycling world, Vinokourov to claim second in '05 TdF? , New Puerto plan, Where is the Puerto money?, Time to start re-stating race results, The morals and math of cycling, Chris Hoy's world kilo record attempt , Unibet at Dunkerque, Davide Rebellin
• May 4: Call that a race?, Reflecting on Schumacher's win, Pose with Landis, at a price, Danielson should leave Discovery, Davide Rebellin, The year of the clean Classics?, Basso and Discovery, Basso this, Landis that, Ullrich the other..., Basso, DNA and whatever else, Basso's DNA, Say it ain't so, Johan, Let's cut them some slack!, Armstrong, head and shoulders above?, Landis, Armstrong vs the Lab, It's not all about the Tour!, Puerto Affair
• April 27: The year of the clean Classics?, David Rebellin, Call that a race?, Reflecting on Schumacher's win, Danielson should leave Discovery, Inspirational O'Grady and those cobbles, L'Equipe does it again!, Tour de France speaks out, The morals and math of cycling, Basso and Puerto, Puerto, part deux, Gilberto, you were right!, Landis, Armstrong vs the Lab, Pose with Landis, at a price?, Taking blood, Gent-Wevelgem and the Kemmelberg, Gent-Wevelgem and water bottles
• April 20: Stuey wins Roubaix, O'Grady Rocks!, An Aussie in Arenberg, Deep-dish carbon versus the cobbles, Gent-Wevelgem and water bottles, Unibet/FdJ/Lotto - Help!, U.S. Open Cycling Championships, Racing in America, Retesting Floyd's B-samples, Taking blood
• April 13: Thoughts on Flanders, Crashes at Gent-Wevelgem, Gent-Wevelgem and water bottles, What about that loose water bottle?, T-Mobile one-two, Popo for the Classics, Racing in America, U.S. Open Cycling Championships, Unibet/FdJ/Lotto - Help!, French hypocrites?, Bjarne Riis, Floyd Landis 'B' sample fiasco, Taking blood, Ullrich DNA match
• April 6: April Fools, Ullrich DNA match, Taking blood, T-Mobile and Puerto, The song remains the same, Ullrich and Hamilton, Tyler Hamilton and flu, Unibet and access into France, Bjarne Riis, Popovych, The death of irony, Armstrong boring?, Ullrich/Armstrong comparisons
• March 30: Basso wind tunnel testing, Bjarne Riis, Riis' response, Drugs in other sports, Dominquez at Redlands, Armstrong boring?, Ullrich/Armstrong comparisons, Popovych - the new Armstrong?, ASO wildcard selections, ASO-UCI split, Boys atop the sport, Cycling at two speeds, Puerto shelved, Tyler Hamilton.
• March 23: Popovych - the new Armstrong?, A few years ago, Tyler Hamilton, Operación Puerto not complete, Puerto shelved, ASO-UCI split, Drugs in other sports, Basso wind tunnel testing, Water bottle and cage sponsorship, Bates' article on Jan Ullrich, Ullrich's retirement, The current state of cycling
• March 16: Don Lefévère, Lefévère tries to reinforce omerta, Spring fever, Ullrich's retirement, UCI has no power, Puerto shelved, Who's been taking what?, ProTour a flawed competition?, UCI-Grand Tour organizer dual!, ASO-UCI split, ASO needs to see benefits in ProTour, Sponsorship, drug use and dinosaurs, The current state of cycling, New Pro Cyclist Union, Congratulations to Unibet, Unibet situation, Unibet.com marketing, Tour of California mistake
• March 9: ASO - UCI split, UCI has no power, UCI vs. ASO, UCI vs. the world, ProTour and contracts, The Unibet fiasco: is it that bad?, Unibet and French law, Unibet situation, Pete Bassinger's Iditarod Trail record ride, Bates' article on Jan Ullrich, Ullrich's retirement, Tour of California expenses, Discovery's profile in Europe, Discovery's reasons for pulling sponsorship, Floyd's big ride
• March 2: Ullrich's retirement, Altitude tents and EPO, Home-made altitude tents, Tyler Hamilton and drug testing, The agony of Unibet?, Discovery's reasons for pulling sponsorship, Discovery's world upside down?, Upside down Disco solved, Tour of California mistake, Graeme Brown, Hats off to Dick Pound?, Grand Tours, who really cares?, ProTour and contracts, ProTour vs wildcards, RCS' decision, UCI vs. the world, Floyd's big ride, Asthma everywhere
• February 23: Altitude tents and EPO, Tour of California mistake, Chavanel's training regime, Discovery's reasons for pulling sponsorship, Discovery's world upside down?, Tyler Hamilton and drug testing, Grand Tours, who really cares?, The Unibet fiasco: is it that bad?, A solution to the Unibet situation, UCI and the ASO, UCI vs. the world, Will the fight never end?, Paris Nice and others, Pro Tour and contracts, RCS decision, Hats off to Dick Pound, Armstrong owes Dick Pound nothing, Graeme Brown, Asthma everywhere, The sorry state of pro-cycling
• February 16: T-Mobile, Adam Hanson and doping, Unibet's new jersey, Double standards for Unibet?, RCS decision, A letter to ASO, Hamilton and Tinkov, Discovery Channel, Asthma everywhere, Bart Wellens' comments at the cross worlds, Best moment?, Crowd control at the cross worlds, Doping reconciliation, Get into 'cross racing, Pound still wants answers from Armstrong, The sorry state of pro-cycling
• February 9: Unibet show they won't be put down, Double standards for Unibet?, Unibet's new jersey, Asthma everywhere, Bart Wellens' comments at the Cross Worlds, Crowd control at the Cross Worlds, Jonathan Page's mechanic beaten, Cheers to Bradley Wiggins, Bradley Wiggins' comments, Jaksche lashes out, Get into 'cross racing, Le Tour was created to sell newspapers, The stakes are too high, Doping reconciliation, Best moment of 2006?, Ivan Basso interview, Ullrich's DNA sample, Ullrich to Relax-GAM?, Ullrich partners with sports-clothing company, Still love to ride, My perfect state of mountain biking, A terrible model for cycling
• February 2: The sanctimonious need to be taken out back, Confidentiality of test results, Oscar Pereiro cleared, Cyclo-cross reader poll results, Fairness in Operation Puerto?, Riders' nicknames, Doping reconciliation, Help for Floyd Landis, Museeuw's insults, Sven Nys, The Floyd Fairness Fund, The sorry state of pro-cycling
• January 26: Drug testing methodologies, Museeuw the PR man, Museeuw's insults, Johan Museeuw and Tyler Hamilton, Sven Nys, Conduct in the pro peloton, McQuaid unhappy with Pereiro, Put doping in the correct context, Moreau wins 2006 TDF, Who wins the 2006 Tour now?, Drapac Porsche's exclusion from the TDU, Bike sponsorship, Compact geometry, The Floyd Fairness Fund
• January 19: Drapac-Porsche and the TDU, Bettini to win the Ronde?, Frame geometry, Phil Liggett's recently stated views, Prudhomme's zealotry, 3 cheers for Christian Prudhomme, Deutschland Tour, 3 cheers for Saunier Duval, Dick Pound, Fairness in Operation Puerto?, Do the maths, The Floyd Fairness Fund
• January 12: Dick Pound, Just 'Pound' him, Pound casts doubt on Landis, Pound comments, The Dick and Pat Show, McQuaid starts cultural polemic, Why the Pro Tour model will never work, The Floyd Fairness Fund, Riders' union, Cyclo-cross reader poll results, Danny Clark - an inspiration, Allan Peiper, Do the maths, Peter Van Petegem's secret, Justice and America, Lance in Leadville, Tubeless road tires
• January 5: Danny Clark - an inspiration, Legal standards and cycling, Peter Van Petegem's secret, Lance a no show for Leadville, Cyclo-cross reader poll results, Do the math, A fair trial, Tubeless road tires, Manzano's polygraph test, Blind trust in implicated riders, A terrible state of affairs, Armstrong's credibility - the conspiracy theories, Best ride ever

Letters 2006

• December 29: Lance in Leadville, Leadville Trail 100, Manzano's polygraph test, British Cycling and the Tour de France, Tell me, what's the problem?, "Disco" team?, Presumption of innocence, Landis and the Landaluze case, Landis' defense fund, American culture, Armstrong's credibility, Back room politics and the IPCT
• December 22: Scott Peoples, Hypocrite?, Landis and the Landaluze case, Landis' defense fund, Rumours and innuendo, Bjarne Riis interview, Enough already, Back room politics and the IPCT, Armstrong's credibility, American culture, Bjarne's ignorance factor, Deutschland Tour and Denmark Tour, Operation Puerto and the UCI
• December 15: A totally predictable situation?, Armstrong's credibility, Deutschland Tour and Denmark Tour, Back room politics and the IPCT, Holczer and others, Holczer and the Discovery exclusion, Bjarne's ignorance factor, Can't we all just get along?, DNA safety, Floyd Landis on Real Sports, Genevieve Jeanson, Mark McGwire, Operación Puerto bungled...deliberately?, Operation Puerto and the UCI
• December 8: Genevieve Jeanson, Floyd Landis on Real Sports, Deutschland Tour, Bjarne's ignorance factor, USADA does it again, Labs and testing, Astana denied ProTour license, Isaac Gálvez, McQuaid, Question about DNA testing, Le Tour de Langkawi 2007
• December 1: Hamilton, Isaac Gálvez, USADA does it again, Bjarne's ignorance factor, Shorten the Vuelta?, Vuelta short, shorter, shortest, Labs and testing, Ullrich to CSC, Clean up cycling's own house first, Fed up with doping, Strange sponsorships, What about Leipheimer?, French anti-doping laboratory, Basso agrees to DNA testing, Basso to Discovery, What's going on behind the scenes?, Graeme Obree
• November 24: Graeme Obree, What about Leipheimer?, French anti-doping laboratory, Basso agrees to DNA testing, Basso to Discovery, Richard Virenque, UCI are the problem, What's going on behind the scenes?
• November 17: Saiz and Tinkoff, Countdown to the 2007 Tour, Improving the reliability of testing, Basso to Discovery, Cycling and DNA testing, Forgetting Tom Simpson, Operación Puerto and national federations, Refusing DNA testing - an admission of guilt?. Reverse blood doping, Richard Virenque, What's going on behind the scenes?
• November 10: Forgetting Tom Simpson, Tour Route, Basso to Discovery, Cycling and DNA testing, What is DNA testing?, Refusing DNA testing - an admission of guilt?, Jan Ullrich, Operación Puerto and national federations, Reverse blood doping, What's going on behind the scenes?, Comments on McQuaid
• November 3: Tour Route, Return of a real good guy, Cameron Jennings, Future Australian ProTour team, Neil Stephens, 2007 Tour Intro Video Snub, Richard Virenque, Reverse blood doping, Comments on McQuaid, Marc Madiot, Who's more damaging?, What's going on behind the scenes?, Wada & Cycling's Governing Body, UCI and Doping, The Pope of Cycling and the Spanish Inquisition, Refusing DNA testing - an admission of guilt?, Put up or shut up!, DNA, its so ‘easy', DNA Testing In Cycling

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