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Letters to Cyclingnews - June 13, 2008

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.

Tom Boonen and his nose
Apologies from Montreal
Chantal's Philly win
Gilberto Simoni
Boring first week of Grand Tours?
Giro d'Italia
iPods while riding
ASO and the Vuelta
Road rage incident
Astana chain choice

Tom Boonen and his nose

The Cycling World reels in shock and indignation. A handsome, successful, 27 year-old Belgian guy has taken cocaine! Who woulda thunk it!

I understand that form dictates that the cycling world shakes its head and mumble about its severe disappointment, and that Tom has to hang his head and act like he got caught molesting a German shepherd, but I for one say "Knock yourself out Tom, you've earned it. Just don't get caught next time, you big lug."

Benjamin Green

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

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Ban Tom Boonen?

Ban Boonen? Absolutely. Ban Astana? You bet.

Slowly, my respect for this sport is returning, and it's not because of the likes of Rock Racing. There must be zero tolerance for any drug use in the professional ranks.

Congratulations ASO.

Patrick Hartigan
Portland, OR, USA

Thursday, June 12, 2008

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Tom Boonen and Jan Ullrich

Why are there no comparisons in the press between Tom Boonen's Cocaine case and Jan Ullrich's Ectasy case years ago? Ullrich was raked over the coals for his extra curricular drug and alcohol use.

Andrew Gellatly

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

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Tom Boonen exclusion from Tour de Suisse

Just a short response on this story.

I have followed professional cycling with renewed enthusiasm this year, as it is clear that the sport's governing bodies and beneficiaries have got their house in order and are beginning to make a real impression on the doping culture. It has been refreshing to follow clean (or maybe cleaner) racing, with all of the unpredictability and suspense this brings.

Tom Boonen has tested positive, out of competition, for cocaine, a recreational drug. While we might expect our sporting heroes to provide role models, recreational cocaine use is endemic in western cultures, with many morally upstanding people of Boonen's age enjoying the same relationship with it as they would with alcohol.

It seems that the need for cleaner racing and accountability within the sport has been unanimously acknowledged, and teams, sponsors and race organisers are priding themselves, publicly, on the role they can play in eradicating doping. This is all well and good, but out of competition cocaine use is something different. Race organisers and teams should not be overstepping into lifestyle ethics. This is the role of the judiciary.

Boonen may have known the territory but it is clear he has been wronged here. What he chooses to do in his own recreation is his own business. So long as out of competition cocaine use is not regarded as performance enhancing and therefore not a doping offence, sporting bodies should be following the letter of their own legislation and overlooking the issue.

We should expect virtue of our sportsmen that we can aspire to ourselves. If a sportsman's career is to be called into question because he has been outed as a recreational drug user, where do we draw the line? Alcohol consumption? Atypical sexual volition? A man's private life should be his private life.

The doping authorities, and in particular the media, have a cautionary role to play in this, which they have neglected in this instance. If recreational, out of competition drug use is not a doping offence, should this have publicly disclosed at all?

Alastair Knowles
Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, England

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

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I'd like to see Cycling News…

...go back and retrieve some of the very nasty and unforgiving quotes Patrick Lefevere had for Floyd Landis and the Operation Puerto riders. Then compare them to the whiny defense of Tom Boonen, who is under so much pressure and it's not easy being Tom Boonan.

When it starts to rock the financial future of his [Lefevere's] team and all its members, Lefevere seems pretty quick to give the young man a pass.

Doug Hurst
Springfield, VA, USA

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

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Tom Boonen #1

CN,

Cocaine a "personal issue"? HA! One could also argue steroid use as a "personal issue." Tom's a big boy and certainly old enough to understand the consequences for his actions as a professional rider.

If cycling was serious about cleaning up all drugs, the response from his team, and from the cycling world would be bye, bye Tom! Hit 'em where it hurts, the wallet!

I hope others share this view. I am sick, sick, sick of seeing this sport dumbed down by arrogant, immature, irresponsible knuckle heads like Tom!

Mile High Rider
Denver, CO, USA

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

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Tom Boonen #2

I hope we the fans and the press don't decide to crucify another cyclist. I don't know all of the details about the cocaine use and frankly I don't want to know.

I hope that Tom learns from his mistake, gets some professional help and we let him continue to entertain us on his bike. I'm sure the fame that Tom lives with on a daily basis is an enormously intense light and while I wish I could ride like he does, I don't wish for his limelight and I don't want to see this lead to another sad outcome for cycling.

David Reynolds

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

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Tom Boonen #3

If cocaine is only a problem within an "in competition" test why is it being tested for "out of competition"?

The UCI or WADA or whoever needs to make their mind. Reminds of old Pedro Delgado - whoops...sorry we condemned you for something that is not really a problem.

But then it just goes to prove that Boonen is idiot. Seems like he can win without any drugs, so he takes them for fun in his spare time? Wow! I am actually impressed with how moronic that is...

Bryin Sills
Hagerstown, MD, USA

Thursday, June 12, 2008

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Tom Boonen #4

As a cycling fan it's always sad to see another rider in a fiasco about drugs etc., so when I came on to check the latest news my heart sank to see one of my favourite riders involved in a scandal. Tom Boonen's been a rider I've tracked for so long, one who I always hoped would never have anything like this come out.

As I write this everything's not clear, except that WADA have confirmed the test. The rest seems to be rumours. Cocaine isn't a known performance enhancer and it was out of competition so cheating isn't the issue here, it's more being let down.

Such a fit and healthy sports star taking cocaine?

As much as the sport doesn't need more drama (especially so close to the tour!) a part of me wants to hope he's been set up somehow. It's the same reaction I had when the Tyler Hamilton fiasco first broke.

What will ASO make of this? They're going into the Tour without a defending maillot jaune, so surely they wouldn't be bothered about dismissing the defending green jersey.

I'm going to follow the innocent until proven guilty theory, he's still a clean cyclist as far as we know since this was out of competition, so it seems he's just a stupid man. All that promise, that talent, seemingly good life, I just hope it was a one-off or mistake. Either way the press will have a field day.

Helen
Grimsby, England

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

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Tom Boonen unbelievable


Just when you thought it was safe...Tom Boonen gets busted for cocaine!

What I shake my head at is not his drug use, but what's going on around him that really baffles me. Alessandro Petacchi gets slapped with a one-year suspension for taking a bit too much asthma medication (for which he had UCI supported documentation) and fired from his team.

What has Boonen received for being caught with narcotics in his system? Full support from his team and no sanctions, thus far, from the high-and-mighty governing bodies.

Boonen used an illegal drug - illegal by definition of the law, not just within the confines of the bike racing rule book. Petacchi's "drug", as evil as it is, is 100 percent legal throughout society at large. Out-of-competition test or not, cocaine is an illicit drug, period.

Boonen should be fired from his team, suspended by the UCI et al, and be served with criminal charges. If he is not treated in, at the very least, the same manner as Petacchi, then I know the world of cycling is truly absurd and nothing more than a spectacle with its head cut off.

Scott Thompson

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

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Victoria, Canada

Apologies from Montreal #1

I have to say, part of having a world series to present the riders with conditions that vary, including the road surface. If every road was glass smooth we may as well all race on the track.

By the same logic, we'd best put some tarmac over the cobbles in Roubaix. So in my opinion, the riders should buckle down and get on with it, it's the same conditions for all the riders so the race is the same.

Cheers
Mark Harrison

Friday, June 6, 2008

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Apologies from Montreal #2

Séb my fellow cyclist,

You are absolutely right!

It does seem that the municipality isn't appreciating such venues to its true face value anymore. In the past years of Le Tour De Beauce, in Québec City region, I heard several riders asking if we had planned to repave the roads from the last civil war.

Considering that a lot of these riders have been (just like Miss Judith Arndt) riding all over the globe and have come to consider our playgrounds to some of the worst maintained ones; more power to them to keep on coming back year after year to battle on them.
Unfortunately, unless we take the buckets and shovels in our own hands, we are looking at the decline of international road racing in our neck of the woods. In a few years from now, we will regret that it ended that way.

So to the guys how will be riding the Tour de Beauce next week and the Canadian Championships later this summer...SORRY!

However, what we can control is for us to be a part of these wonderful events. By cheering, chanting and making these road warriors feel welcome to the best of our abilities.

Thanks for speaking up Séb.

Fred Gauthier
Québec, Canada

Thursday, June 5, 2008

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Chantal's Philly win

What a pleasure to read of Chantal Beltman winning the Liberty Classic today. Watching her driving hard at the front on the last climb of Lemon Hill during the last year's edition, I remembered back to the Hamilton World Championships in 2003.

My son and I were camped at a nearby park for the duration and took a shuttle to the race venue and back every day. One day on our return to our tents, we struck up a conversation with a somewhat older gentleman and his wife.

I learned that they had come over from the Netherlands to watch their daughters, who were both on the Dutch national team and slated to compete in the women's elite event. As we parted company I mentioned to the father that he and his wife must be proud of their daughters' accomplishments. I will always remember this tall and stocky Dutchman as he paused and then said in a soft and loving tone, "Yes, we are so proud."

The next day as I looked through team rosters in my program, I found that the couple's daughters were the Beltman sisters, Chantal and Ghita. Since then I've tried to keep tabs on their careers; today's win must make the parents prouder still.

Good on you girl.

Trey Spencer
Vermont, USA

Sunday, June 8, 2008

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Gilberto Simoni #1

Pre-Madonna? Gibo's old, but he's not that old.

I will miss him. He's a cantankerous old git, and he was always more mouth than trouser, but he certainly spiced things up. I would have liked to have seen him win the Giro d'Italia one last time, but he can certainly go out with his head held high.

Vale Gibo!

Brendan Moylan
London, England

Thursday, June 5, 2008

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Gilberto Simoni #2

How can you bad mouth Simoni so much? He is the winner of two Giro d'Italias and he is one of the finest climbers in recent cycling history. Sure he has been whining a lot, but he is Italian remember and he is getting old.

I think Simoni is a classy rider.

Nelson
Fairbanks, Alaska

Thursday, June 5, 2008

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Boring first week of Grand Tours?

I dunno, I kinda think that hours-long breakaways, catches at the line and 40+mph finishes are a little exciting. At least Phil Ligget and Paul Sherwin make them seem so. At only 145 lbs. I'm not the most powerful sprinter, so maybe I'm even more impressed by the speed and talents of the 'big men'. I just couldn't imagine a Tour de France or Giro d'Italia without the sprint stages.

David Randleman
Nebraska, USA

Sunday, May 25, 2008

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Giro d'Italia #1

I think that you need to give Alberto Contador a bit of a break regarding his Giro win. I know you have asked it not to be said but I am going to use the last minute entry "excuse" for the fact that he wasn't (by his own admission) in top form.

If he was I have no doubt that he would have contested stage wins, but as it was he opted to ride tactically, sensibly and win the Grand Tour - the actual idea of entering the race in the first place. So yes, I can see how someone could be proud of winning in this way - another Grand Tour under his belt!

Thursday, June 5, 2008

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Giro d'Italia #2

In response Thomas' dissatisfaction with Alberto Contador's fine Giro d'Italia win, I really can't understand his complaints. To complain that he "wins on time" is just silly. That's exactly the way a Grand Tour is won, the rider with the lowest cumulative time.

To call Riccardo Riccò "the real winner," well, as far as I saw he lost by 1'57". Really, why should Contador have attacked for stage wins when he didn't have to? Why would he risk wasting energy and possibly losing the overall general classification.

As far as I'm concerned Contador raced a smart race and won. Congratulations.

Murray Yazer
Halifax, Canada

Thursday, June 5, 2008

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iPods while riding

Is it just me or are more people riding with iPods? In a cycling culture that has become so engulfed in safety through helmets, to the extreme in most cases, it amazes me how many cyclists, at all skill levels eliminate one of their most important senses while riding; hearing.

I think many riders are now used to seeing the pro's with ear pieces, so they think it is OK for everyone to ride with them. Maybe, between the team directors shouting of commands, the pro's are listening to Dance Hits of the 80s, but I doubt it.

If you get that bored on a bike, that you need music, books on tape, or learn Italian in 10 lessons, you need to find another hobby that does not involve open roads, cars and other riders. I just hope the professionals don't discover they can go even faster blindfolded, as the I am afraid the cycling lemmings will give it a try.

Jim
Ft. Wayne, IN, USA

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

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ASO and the Vuelta

Please don't tell me this means that Astana will now be un-invited to the Vuelta a Espana? I can't stand the fact that the ASO can buy the races, make their own rules and now can once again possibly affect the participation of the best rider and team in the world. I hope this is not the case.

The Giro d'Italia was awesome to watch and think the organizers made the correct decision to invite Astana. I will watch the Tour de France, but in my mind it is less of a race with out the best team.

Justin Ringling

Thursday, June 5, 2008

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Let the Battle begin

ASO has bought into the Vuelta. Well it looks like the two big protagonists have really set up the battle royale, ASO and the UCI, who will win?

I suspect that the money will win, ASO has increased its earning potential (in Europe at least) and the UCI is trying to gain a foothold worldwide, which market will generate the most money. Will the ASO make some inroads into South America? Is Spanish not one of the more widely spoken languages in the world? Mm, interesting.

Does ASO make more as a promoter as opposed to the UCI as a regulator?

Living in Australia, I personally hope the world game wins, I would love the free-to-air media to be able to cover the Tour Down Under, Tour of California, Tour of France, the same goes for the Giro d'Italia and the Vuelta a Espana. I would also love to see a tour in China and Russia, as they have some incredible countryside.

Incidentally the part of Australia where the Tour Down Under is raced is good but there are some more spectacular areas in Australia than there is in the state of South Australia.

Will we get more varied racing in a few years time, the ASO league and the UCI ProTour, will the riders, teams, be able to race in either series?

Really it could be very exiting, but I hope it does not become a long protracted fight where no one is winning particularly the spectators on the road and on the TV.

Dermot
Bright, VIC, Australia

Friday, June 6, 2008

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Road rage incident

Spot on Ian Young! I haven't read a letter I so wholeheartedly agree with in a long, long time. Poor attitudes by drivers are inexcusable, but so is poor behaviour by cyclists.

I commute every day in Sydney and wonder if I am the only one who stops at red lights. As long as portions of the cycling population continue to believe that the law does not apply to them, we cannot expect that our treatment will improve.

We all have a role to play in spreading that message.

Rob Allen

Thursday, June 5, 2008

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Astana chain choice

In reference to the SRAM hollow-pin and relieved-link chain, I've had them break on me in the most inconvenient circumstances, three times over, so now I too have switched back to Shimano D-A. The chain is light and shifts really well, but seems prone to breaking before you would expect, at least if compared to the D-A chain.

I don't know why; I've used other hollow-pin chains in the past, without a problem, but not this one. My only thought is that perhaps the relieved link plates are a bit more flexible, and that they bend under side loadings, which may be loosening the rivet's grip on the link over time.

Maybe this is what has prompted some teams to use the D-A chain?

Pierre C. Lacoste

Friday, June 6, 2008

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Recent letters pages

Letters 2008

  • June 13: Tom Boonen and his nose, Apologies from Montreal, Chantal's Philly win, Gilberto Simoni, Boring first week of Grand Tours?, Giro d'Italia, iPods while riding, ASO and the Vuelta, Road rage incident, Astana chain choice
  • June 5: Apologies from Montreal, Astana chain choice, Bennati and race radios, Race radio?, Gilberto Simoni, Giro winner, Good result in road rage court case, Helmets in the Giro, Lemond vs. Armstrong, Millar, No, no, you can't take that away from them, Oval bars, Review error, Ricardo Ricco, Road rage incident
  • May 29: Bennati and race radios, Helmets in the Giro, Review error, LeMond vs. Armstrong, Losing something in the translation, Millar, Petacchi, Race radio?, Road rage incident, Weight work on the bike
  • May 23: Road rage incident, How much will it take?, Paralysed cyclist, Fausto Exparza, David Millar, Basso gets a contract, Weight work, CAS and Petacchi, Shortest TdF, Petacchi & Piepoli
  • May 15: Sydney road rage incident, Steegmans lashes out at UCI, Steve Hogg's article, World Cup #3 XC, Where is Chris Horner, Slipstream, Astana and Le Tour, Giro stage 5!, US time trial Champion?, Basso gets a contract, Race radios, CAS ruling on Petacchi, Hamilton's integrity? Dude!, Weight work
  • May 8: Race radio?, Ridiculous ruling, What a farce!, CAS ruling on Petacchi, Basso gets a contract, Hamilton's integrity? Dude!, French riders had to give up their jerseys?,
  • May 1: Race radio?, Basso gets a contract, Advise needed for Alpe D'Huez, LeMond vs. Armstrong, Bottles, Scars of war, ProTour in Russia! China? Ahem... America?, LeMond's 1989 TdF, Mayo?, Stuart O'Grady Team CSC Cervélo R3 Paris, Have any French riders had to give up their jerseys?
  • April 25: Just shut up and ride, ProTour in Russia! China? Ahem...America?, Bottles, LeMond's 1989 TdF, New format for the Vuelta? , Scars of war, LeMond v. Armstrong, No tour for Astana #1, Rock Racing rip off #1, Advise needed for Alpe D'Huez, Stuart O'Grady Team CSC Cervélo R3 Paris
  • April 18: Just shut up and ride, USA Track Cycling, Paris-Roubaix, Little Indy 500 - Women's Race Article, Stuart O'Grady Team CSC Cervélo R3 Paris-Roubaix, What's happening to road tubeless?, Thanks Cyclingnews, Bottles, Just think?, Tour of Georgia - Lame, Colavita, No tour for Astana, Clever tactics by McQuaid expose ASO, Suggestions for the little bullies, Rock Racing rip off, LeMond Vs. Trek
  • April 10: Suggestions for the little bullies, Pat McQuaid, Clever tactics by McQuaid expose ASO, Just think, Trek vs. LeMond, Rock Racing rip off, Homepage overhaul, Some praise, USA track cycling, Team car order just the first gamble, Come on Greg & Lance, LeMond vs. Armstrong
  • April 3: Pat McQuaid, April fools, Carbon Wrap-It System, Sylvain Chavanel, Astana vs. Rabobank vs. Slipstream Chipotle, Cadel Evans, Clever tactics by McQuaid expose ASO, Colavita, Let VDB ride?, Race radios, Rock Racing rip off
  • March 27: Riccardo's manner of professionalism, Rock Racing rip off, Chavanel's Paris - Nice shoes, Cadel Evans, Cadel Evans at Paris - Nice, Let VDB ride?, ASO vs. Astana, ASO vs. UCI help me with my memory, Astana vs. Rabobank vs. Slipstream Chipotle, Police kill cyclists,"PRO"cycling teams
  • March 20:"Pro"Cycling Teams, AIGCP does have a choice, ASO vs UCI help me with my memory, ASO vs. Astana, Chavanel's Paris - Nice shoes, Kevin van Impe's doping control, Cadel Evans at Paris - Nice, Hamilton, Operacion Puerto, and the ToCA, Paris - Nice: What it could have been, Police kill cyclists, The Astana affair, UCI hypocrisy
  • March 13:"Pro"Cycling Teams, ASO vs. Astana, ASO vs. UCI, ASOh well, UCI'll see you later, Cycling fans must let their voices be heard, Denounce ASO's actions for what they are, Hamilton, Operacion Puerto, and the ToCA, Knife between the ribs?, Paris Nice, Police kill cyclists, British track sprinters' helmets?, Rock Racing and Michael Ball, The Astana affair, The real ASO problem, Tour and ASO, UCI - very bad poker players, UCI hypocrisy.
  • March 6: Zirbel and the"ride of his life", British track sprinters' helmets, Hamilton, Operacion Puerto and the ToCA, Three grand tours or five monuments?, Rock Racing and Michael Ball, Pro cycling is dead, Paris - Nice, Knife between the ribs?, Doping and the Tour, Astana, the ASO and the UCI, ASO vs. Astana, The Astana affair, ASO vs. UCI vs. AIGCP vs. the non existent riders, The real ASO problem, Denounce ASO's actions for what they are, Sponsorship code of ethics, Where are the other ProTour teams?, ProTour vs. ASO
  • February 28: ASO vs. Astana, Passion and sponsorship, Crash or crash through, Pro cycling is dead, Why we must have the ProTour, Rock Racing and Michael Ball, ToC and Rock, The hidden message behind banning Astana, ASO is killing cycling, ASO could be right, The real ASO problem, UCI - draw a line in the sand, ASO has lost the plot, The Astana affair, Astana and ASO/RCS, the Astana decision, Operacion Puerto, Old rider classification
  • February 15: Doping controls, Tour of California moving up!, Why I love the Tour of California, Operation Puerto, Astana rejected by ASO, Boycott ASO, ASO - stop the madness, Tour de France, ASO is wrong to exclude Astana, Astana, ASO, and the NFL, Tour de Farce, The hidden message behind banning Astana, Astana exclusion, ASO is killing cycling, Astana out of Tour, ASO has lost the plot
  • February 8: Lampre doping controls, Grand Tour Monopoly?, Giro selections, Slipstream Qatar, Allan Davis, Sheldon Brown, Dick Pound to head CAS?, Find out who's leaking lab results, Rock racing
  • February 1: UCI vs. Grand Tour war, Best wishes to Anna, The incident, Rock racing & Starbucks, Rock racing Rocks, Rock racing, Landis in NUE, Lance is the best of all time, Sinkewitz logic, Astana for 08 Tour?
  • January 25: Rock racing, Time to draw a line in the sand, ASO vs. UCI ProTour, UCI vs. Grand Tour war spills over to European federations, Readers' poll stage races 2007, Cyclist of the year, Team High Road's black kit, Lance is the best of all time, Landis in NUE, Toyota-United abusing USAC team rules?
  • January 18: Cadel Evans - returns to training, Cyclist of the Year, DOPING - time to draw a line in the sand, Hincapie in T-Mobile kit, Lance is the best of all time, Readers poll: best stage races 2007, Rock racing, Speaking about Lance, Toyota-United abusing USAC team rules?
  • January 11: Armstrong on Landis, Cadel Evans - returns to training, Hincapie in T-Mobile kit, Ivan Basso - why no tough questions?, Reader Poll, Rock & burn racing, Speaking about Lance, Sydor's consistency, The 'Bruyneel philosophy', Toyota-United abusing USAC team rules?
  • January 5: Great day for cycling, Sydor's consistency, Hincapie in T-Mobile kit, CA awards misses national series, Thank you, Ivan Basso - why no tough questions?, Cadel Evans - returns to training, Helmets belong on heads, Armstrong on Landis, Will there be a Tour of Missouri?, Roberto Heras, Speaking about Lance, Mayo's B Sample

Letters 2007

  • December 27: CA awards misses national series, Armstrong on Landis, Vinokourov's sentence, Vinokourov, Cadel Evans - returns to training, Mayo's B sample to get B test
  • December 14: Sydor's consistency, George Hincapie, Helmet straps must be cinched a bit too tight, Will there soon be a sample"C"test?, ProTour, Vino's joke of a suspension, Mafioso McQuaid, Obee and Health Net, Mayo's B sample to get B test, Campagnolo offers its own 'red' shifter, T-Mobile's withdrawal a blow to Jaksche
  • December 6: Tschüss T-Mobile, Anquetil, Mayo's B sample to get B test, T-Mobile drop out, Obee and Health Net, Stefano Zanini
  • November 30: Anquetil,Mayo's B sample to get B test, Stefano Zanini, Rider's passport, Betting, Jonathan Page, Wake up!!, T-Mobile drop out, Bike design originality
  • November 23: Remembering Jacques Anquetil, Done looking back, Mayo's B sample to get B test, Cross crank, Rider's passport, Blood passports and humanity, Fothen's comments on Bettini, Nathan O'Neill , Sinkewitz, Rasmussen blood values, Sponsorship strangeness, Dick Pound better understood, Bike design originality,
  • November 16: Nathan O'Neill, Rasmussen blood values, The Crocodile Trophy, Sinkewitz, Drug testing procedures, Rider's passport, The drug issue, Bike design originality , Sponsorship strangeness, Selfishness will ruin cycling
  • November 9: The Crocodile Trophy, A little bit of bias here?, Rider's passport, Kasheckin, Positive tests, Drug testing procedures, Marco Pinotti: Engineering a new path, Bike design originality
  • November 2: What does this mean?, Le Tour 08, Mayo's B sample, Bike design originality, Trimble, UCI says Mayo case not closed, Drug testing procedures ... and false positives, Kashechkin: controls violate human rights, Drug testing procedures, Mayo, UCI, Kashechkin, et al... Great, now it's coming from both ends, Positive tests, Why even bother with B samples then?, Mayo's positive EPO test, Falling barriers
  • October 26: Rider passports & Cadel Evans, Drug testing procedures ... and false positives, Iban Mayo's false positive, Iban Mayo and Landis, Armstrong on Landis, Mayo's B sample, UCI turns Mayo's case into a debaucle, Great...now they hand pick the results, No justice for Mayo, UCI says Mayo case not closed, Bike design originality, 2006 Tour de France, A bad week for cycling, A fitting end to the season
  • October 19: 2006 Grand Tour trifecta!, 2006 Tour de France, A fitting end to the season, Armstrong on Landis, Bike design originality, doping in cycling, Doping numbers, Paris-Tours testing mishap, UCI and the lack of testing!, Vino's other Tour stage win, The absolute best?
  • October 12: Armstrong on Landis, Bike design originality, Cycling drama, Doping is unfair; but so is discrimination, It's not doping that's..., Landis case - everyone's a loser, Length and cost of the Landis case, R & R, The Landis decision, Tour of America
  • October 5: Cycle drama, It's not doping that's"killing"the sport, Why is VAM a benchmark, Tour of America, The Landis decision, DYNEPO, Worlds, Rock & Republic's CEO Michael Ball, Please explain, Giuseppe Guerini, FICP
  • September 28: Tour of America, World champion zany-ness, The Landis decision, ASO v UCI, McQuaid vs ASO vs the riders, Please explain, Why is VAM a benchmark, Giuseppe Guerini, Menchov felt betrayed by Rasmussen, ProTour and Le Tour, Where is the due process
  • September 21: Astana's future and Bruyneel, Bruyneel's afterlife, Floyd Landis decision, Why is VAM a benchmark, Lifetime bans, Menchov felt betrayed by Rasmussen, Ungrateful Levi, Spanish cycling, Where is the due process
  • September 14: Astana & Bruyneel, Cycling vs. soccer, Cycling will survive, Floyd Landis decision, LeMond's comments, Menchov felt betrayed by Rasmussen, Ungrateful Levi, Why is VAM a benchmark?
  • September 7: 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.

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