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Letters to Cyclingnews - October 30, 2008
While Lance Armstrong's return to professional cycling might be the big news at the moment, Cyclingnews readers have their say on the other issues affecting their favourite sport.
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.
Germans pull the plug
Doping
Kohl
Lifetime bans
UCI bans skinsuits
2009 TdF parcours
LeMond's power test
Germans pull the plug
I fundamentally disagree with Mark Schmidt's criticisms of the German media in relation to doping. Ultimately, they have demonstrated the danger presented to cycling by the persistence of a doping culture in the sport. Without the finance made available by sponsors and media companies, professional cycling would die.
We should applaud ARD and ZDF's stance because the sport has shown itself to be utterly incapable of cleaning up its act, and their actions may finally focus minds sufficiently to deal with the scourge of doping properly. It is the dopers who are killing cycling. Perhaps the loss of media coverage, sponsors and races in Germany is the only way to bring home the gravity of the situation to the peloton and the UCI.
Hugh Mooney,
Glasgow, Scotland
Monday, October 27, 2008
Doping
The bottom line with doping in the sport is money.
We have to remember that without team support we have no sport. In the current economic environment team sponsors are looking at ways to maximise advertising dollars and minimise costs.
Doping scandals have resulted in teams pulling out of the sport and events being cancelled again because sponsors pull out, when this happens both the riders and the fans suffer. If your team closes up there are fewer teams that can take riders, your pay will suffer as the teams can negotiate lower salaries.
Remember, doping does nobody any good.
Alan Beresford
Sydney, Australia
Monday, October 27, 2008
Doping #2
I agree doping is not great. I disagree with life bans. Humans are a fallible species - second time round for life bans in my mind.
Adrian Booth
Australia
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Doping #3
What bothers me about this entire discussion of 'illegal' drugs and the prosecution of doctors that prescribe it is that CERA, if I understand what I am reading correctly, is a LEGAL drug that can be prescribed by a medical doctor. Now, there is some ethical and medical reasoning as to why maybe these riders should not be getting it but the prescription of a drug by a doctor is part of the medical practice and the discretion of the doctor.
The fundamental choice of what goes into a person's body is, in the end, the sole responsibility of the person taking it. If I give you a loaded gun LEGALLY, it is your choice whether you use that gun to break a law, rule, code of ethics, etc. Unless a drug is listed on a universally accepted 'illegal substance' register, it is not illegal.
That being said, if a rider uses a legal drug in contravention of the rules of cycling, ban them for no less than 5 years, second offence... a lifetime.
Sean Jones
Trinidad and Tobago
Friday, October 24, 2008
Kohl
What is up with Bernhard Kohl?
"Everything is blamed on us. If the [drug] companies would cooperate with the World Anti-Doping Agency from the beginning and put markers in the medication, then nobody would be so stupid as to use such a medication. In some cases it is practically an advertisement for the pharmaceutical companies."
It isn't the rider's fault for taking the drugs; it's the fault of the drug companies for not making it harder for the rider to cheat! What? I was starting to think maybe Kohl could have a shred of character left, but apparently not. Just step up and take full responsibility for your actions.
Ralph Benedetto
North Carolina, USA
Monday, October 27, 2008
Lifetime bans
I agree 100 per cent with Mr. Nordlie's letter.
Lifetime bans are a smoke screen by the Italian Federation. Why not offer up Rico a 50% cut in suspension if he truly blows the whistle. Who gave him the stuff and explained the protocol? Who is the connection between Rico's and Kohl's teams? How much did he pay? Follow the money and kick the doctors out of the sport.
In the end, four out of probably anywhere from eight to 28 riders got caught. There will be another four riders caught next year and the UCI and testers will be so proud of themselves while many more riders go without getting caught. Through the little fish back, let's get to the real source of the problem, the leaches behind the scenes.
Mike Entwistle
San Diego, CA
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Lifetime bans #2
Although the current sentencing for dopers may not be perfect, we either get together and change the system or we accept the current standing. If we go with the latter, we accept the time served as punishment. WADA says two years, Basso served it, Millar served it and Hamilton served it. Our wonderful sport needs credibility right now, we have enrolled a system for catching people who cheat, its time to trust the system and stop judging the punished after they served their time. We have come a long way in the last three years, let pat our sport on the back and know we are on the right track.
Chris Kijko
Monday, October 27, 2008
Lifetime bans #3
I read your article about the Italian professionals association supporting life bans and could not help but feel compelled to express my complete support for the Italians and their fearlessness in taking the lead in the peloton, when it comes to imposing a life ban on riders who have been convicted of doping. Behaviour, as we all know, is changed by an assessment of its consequences. Obviously, a two year ban, and a "possible loss of one year's pay," is not a deterrent, at all.
One can see in this year's Tour de France, many of the reasons why cyclists take drugs, none of which are good, some of which are very sad, and some of which are just plain arrogant. In the case of the latter, there is Mr. Ricco, and quite honestly, he is the case in point for a life time ban. He did not have to take drugs to do well, but he wanted to be great without doing the work. There should not be any relief for him. I do not want to watch him race ever again. I do not believe he was clean in the Giro. I think it all started there. He should be banned for life and for the good of the sport. My hope is that the Tour de France will have a special day in which to compensate the men Mr. Ricco and the other dopers displaced, since these men deserve it in all the ways that count, financially and emotionally.
To witness 'has beens' trying to stay on in the peloton because it is their life and they resort to drugs to hang on is nothing less than very sad, and a life ban here is probably not much of a deterrent because it is their life at this point in cycling that is fading. A life ban in these cases is kind of like "mercy" to those who do not know when to hang it up or can't because they are too into debt of one kind or another. And as for the man, whose career or contract may be up in the air, and he feels the need to take drugs to ensure his economics, well he is kind of like the hanger on but with a twist, of sorts. When the hanger on leaves, he makes room for another person, but when the latter case advances his cause, he invariably eliminates some one else. Chou, Mr. Bettini, who I would much rather watch lose than a doper win.
From a very naive point of view, a simple fan of cycling, I felt very bad for Mr. Valverde, for Mr. Lang, Mr. Menchov, Mr. Efimkin, Mr. Cancellara, Mr. Kirchen, Mr. Millar, and even Mr. Sastre and Mr. F. Schleck. Who were the real King of the Mountains? It is just amazing how many people are harmed by the actions of just a few. A life ban seems appropriate for a dishonourable life.
Reuben Ryder
Cornwall, NY
Friday, October 24, 2008
UCI bans skinsuits
The UCI's decision to ban skin suits in downhill racing is ridiculous. Equally as ridiculous is Rachel Atherton's claim that Tracey Moseley's skin suit made up four seconds in the Australian round of the mountain bike world cup!
Four seconds! That is just ridiculous.
It actually makes sense to have all the riders wear skin suits to make it fairer. If you are forced to wear baggy clothing, there is no way to regulate the amount of bagginess, so one person's clothing may be a bit baggier than another's. Skin suits would make the playing field more level at the start of a race.
Not to mention the fact that skin suits aren't exactly secret technology. Everyone has the same access to them.
Matthew Spohn
York, PA USA
Friday, October 24, 2008
2009 TdF parcours
Analysing the 2009 TdF parcours reveals that it is a route that brings more riders into podium contention and keeps the outcome in suspense for longer. While the route has more kilometers of climbing (260km versus 201km and 221km in 2008 and 2007, respectively), the climbing is spread over 7 stages versus 5 stages in 2008 and 4 stages in 2007. The 2009 climbing stages are on average much shorter than recent tours. The data is as follows:
My conclusions are as follows:
* Only two stages will result in meaningful separation in the mountains: stage
17 (5 climbs, 55km and 3,866 vertical meters over the Roselend, Romme and Colombiere)
and stage 20 (while only 2,440 meters of vertical it finishes atop Ventoux)
* The other mountain stages are either not long or steep enough mountain top
finishes to create big gaps, or have long flat runs into the finish which will
diminish the gains of strong climbers.
* The contenders will remain bunched closely on GC with stage 20 being the deciding
factor unless a team successfully exploits stage 17 to create a cushion.
* The tour could be dull as most contenders follow wheels to conserve energy
until the last two climbing stages
* The 2009 course is more humane/realistic. Perhaps an effort to be more realistic
about rider capabilities in a less dope ridden environment.
* The 2007 mountain stages were vicious. He may be disgraced but what Chicken
and Contador did in 2007 was impressive
* While I say the 2009 parcours is easier than recent editions, my middle-aged
butt would suffer mightily on any of the stages, let alone 20 of them.
Viva the spectacle!
J. Tracy Mehr
Friday, October 24, 2008
LeMond's power test
With respect to Charlie Mack, I think he is missing the point with what Mr LeMond was saying. I don't think he was suggesting removing all other tests and just using a Vo2 max and power output test as the be all and end all of testing. While Floyd didn't push out power which was unbelievable, he did test positive for a drug (in this case artificial testosterone). You seem to be suggesting that Floyd is innocent based on the fact that the LeMond test which is not even necessarily 100 per cent proves him innocent.
Just a thought.
Alex Hinds
Sydney, Australia
Friday, October 24, 2008
LeMond's power test #2
LeMond's Power Test is a joke!
It comes from the train of thought which says, "I [Greg LeMond] could ride at X number of Watts for X amount of time and I was clean, therefore anyone who can ride more than me MUST have doped to be able to do it, kick them out!" You cannot take the moral high ground on doping without actually giving people a fair shot and due process (no matter how much we would like to see them just "kicked out").
This is just rubbish and puts the testers/WADA/UCI, and anyone who wants to see clean sport in the same kind of trouble and moral low ground as the cheaters!
There are simple solutions for these problems (I say "simple" as I have removed the cost and politics from this list)
1: Target riders - test the ones who do show a "super human" gain in speed or performance. Weather it be on a single stage or over the whole tour. If this person is clean they will not mind the extra testing to show that "yes this is all there hard work". Team this up with the regular testing in and out of competition.
2: Keep samples - the eight-year vault is a great idea - but actually use it! Re-test targeted samples when a new drug test is available. Athletes today know the banned list! They know they cannot take ANYTHING on that list - not just the substances that can be checked today.
3: Tougher penalties - five-year ban, no return to pro cycling, $1 million fine for rider and $5 million for the team. It is a simple equation: the penalty must be higher than the reward. Sure you will always get a small percentage who will dope, just like you get a small percentage of people who kill or rape no matter what the penalty. But anyone who does knows full well they will be caught and just how serious it is. The more that come back into the sport (i.e. Basso) the more the message is "it's ok... you can survive a positive and come back.
4: Remove teams own in house testing - for a bigger reason behind this read Faust's Gold. It is exactly what the GDR did to allow its athletes to dope and not show up on competition tests. There is actually no accountability for a team or the "independent" doctor to actually publish or make known a positive - it all sounds like a great idea! But look a lot closer!
5: Non-analytical positives - investigate and control - it is not by chance that three largest doping scandals, Festina, Balco and Puerto, were all ones in which NO or very few athletes ever tested positive in competition. WADA needs wider powers to be able to investigate athletes/teams on the suspicion of doping. Come clean! It is just like any police investigation - if there is nothing to hide then welcome it. Show the world the team or rider is clean.
J Coote
New Zealand
Monday, October 27, 2008
Recent letters pages
Letters 2008
- October 17: Attitude to cheats, Doping, Lifetime bans, Solutions to doping problems, LeMond's power test, Rahsaan Bahati
- October 10: Enough is enough, Thomas Bach's comments, Recent positives, Riccò confesses to using EPO, Baden Cooke's comment, Holczer to sue Schumacher, Life bans for doping, Advice to Contador, My own comeback, Better Borat than Vinokourov, Lance has a Michael Jordan complex, Armstrong's busted former teammates, Astana, Lance vs Basso, Say it ain't so, Frank!, Leipheimer's best Grand Tour
- October 3: Another Armstrong Special: There comes a time, Guilty by association, Lance Armstrong returning, Armstrong comeback, Armstrong should be applauded, Lance is back, Armstrong and Astana, Mr Armstrong and SRAM, The resurrection of Lance, Armstrong's return
- September 25: The Armstrong Special: Armstrong obligations, Armstrong comeback, Armstrong riding for Astana, Armstrong's return, Guilty by association, Lance Armstrong and Taylor Phinney, The resurrection of Lance
- September 18: Armstrong come back, All round classification, Madiot's need to explain himself, Does doping work?, Exciting racing!, Contador and the Vuelta, Lance on Astana?, Say it isn’t So Lance!, ARD not looking forward to Armstrong return, Guilty by association, Garzelli, Scott Spark project bike
- September 12: Does doping work?, Scott Spark ultralight bike, Cadel stays with Silence-Lotto?, Vuelta, Giro, Tour triple, All round classification, Editorialising / opinion within articles, Do it twice or until you get it right, Olympic mountain biking, Say it isn't so Lance!, Armstrong come back, BMX....That's all?
- September 4: BMX....That's all?, Olympic mountain biking, Cadel stays with Silence-Lotto?, Head tube logos at Olympic Games, Fabio Baldato's premature retirement, Does doping work?, Cadel Evans and the Beige Jersey, Team Australia helmets, British track team's Olympic Games medals Pro cycling sponsorship
- August 29: BMX, Carlos Sastre, NRC Calendar, U-23 Championship road race fiasco, Therapeutic use exemptions - please explain, Phil Liggett encounter, John Fahey and Jacques Rogge on doping, Aussie Allan Davis?, Pro cycling sponsorship
- August 28: US cyclists and masks, Cadel, Cadel Evans and the Beige jersey, Levi Leipheimer’s Bike, Doping, Team Australia helmets, Lance and the doping debate, British Olympic track medals, BMX....That's all?
- August 22: Spanish federation questions Leipheimer's bronze, Hushovd's Look, Cadel's Injury, NRC Calendar, Phil Liggett encounter, British Olympic track medals, Therapeutic Use Exemptions - please explain, Truvativ HammerSchmidt, Carlos Sastre, Cadel Evans and the Beige Jersey
- August 21: Levi Leipheimers Bike, John Fahey and Jacques Rogge on doping, Cycling out of the Olympics, Team Australia helmets, Scott-American Beef excluded from Vuelta, Doping & money, U-23 National Championship RR fiasco, US Cyclists and masks, World Road race championships national quotas
- August 19: Therapeutic Use Exemptions - please explain, Carlos Sastre, Riccò confesses to using EPO, Lance and the doping debate, Cadel Evans and the Beige Jersey, Bring back bonus seconds to liven le Tour, Crank Length formula, Thank you, Confused
- August 14: Cycling out of the Olympics, U-23 Championship Road Race Fiasco, Phil Liggett encounter, WADA chief John Fahey, Moreno, John Fahey and Jacques Rogge on doping, Beijing Road Race, World Road race championships national quotas, Scott-American Beef excluded from Vuelta, US Cyclists and masks, Team Australia helmets
- August 7: Riccò confesses to using EPO, Carlos Sastre, Contador, A question for Susan Westemeyer, Confused, Lance and the doping debate, Accountability and cycling teams, Crank length formula, Bring back bonus seconds to liven le Tour, Yet another...Manual Beltran, ASO, doping and Astana
- July 31: A bike by any other name, Accountability and cycling teams, Andy Schleck "killing moves", Anti-doping chief calls Tour tests a success?, ASO, doping and Astana, Bad blood, Boycott le Tour and Olympics, Carlos Sastre, Bring back bonus seconds to liven le Tour, Canadian eh! Ryder Hesjedal, Cleaning up cycling, a suggestion, Confused, Crank Length Formula
- July 25: Confused, Consistency please, Damages paid, Dave Russell passes away, David Miller on Riccò, Do you believe?, Doping, ASO vs UCI, what is going on?, Evans to wear number one in Tour, How does Andy Schleck "kill all the moves"?
- July 24: Gerrans, One question & two predictions about the Tour, A bike by any other name, ASO, doping and Astana, Beating a dead horse, but..., Boycott le Tour and Olympics, Cascade Cycling Classic accident, Cleaning up cycling, a suggestion
- July 17 - Edition 2: The effect of time bonuses, Cascade Cycling Classic accident, Confused, Boycott le Tour and Olympics, Alison Starnes diary, Is McQuaid interested in Cycling at all?, More involvement needed from CPA, Teams ditch UCI, Yet another...Manual Beltran, LeMond: Cycling doesn't need UCI, Dave Russell passes away
- July 17 - Edition 1: Tour mountain cats, Is Pereiro getting a bum wrap?, Popovych! Where the bloody hell are you?, Evans' team-mates, Evans to wear number one in Tour, Poor quality of competition, Tour climbs, What if…, Riccó uses outdated bike in ITT, Fabian Wegmann's electronic Dura Ace problems?, Hushovd's Look, Stage 10 coverage was a treat!, Tour de France accident, EPO is back on the menu boys!, Consistency, please
- July 15: Tour de France: Stage 3 - The Badger is back!, Thor Hushovd's Look, Riccó uses outdated bike in ITT, Boycott le Tour and Olympics, Astana and the Tour, Romain Feillu, Cascade Cycling Classic accident, LeMond: Cycling doesn't need UCI, Tour de France accident, We Might As Well Win Review, Evans shoe covers, Pure climbers, Why on earth Danielson?, Historical information, Stefan Schumacher loses yellow, Sylvain Chavanel, Yet another...Manual Beltran, Stage 10 coverage was a treat!
- July 10: Stefan Schumacher, LeMond: Cycling doesn't need UCI, Excellent article - ASO v's UCI, Insulting comment, Romain Feillu, Pure climbers are they a thing of the past?, Evans and shoe covers, Evans to wear number one in Tour, Djamolidine Abdoujaparov, Experience with UST Mountain Tires, Boycott le Tour and Olympics, Astana and the Tour, Riders stuck in the middle, Oval bars, Landis decision
- July 4: WADA, Inconsistent Lab Analysis, and Landis, Rabobank and the Tour, ASO and past Tour winners, Landis decision, Teenager mauled by bear in Anchorage, Evans to wear number one in Tour, Experience with UST Mountain Tires, iPods while riding, Erik Zabel, Oval bars, ASO's hidden agenda, Joe Magnani, Djamolidine Abdoujaparov, Giro, ASO's world domination, Ban Boonen?, A Hollow Tour Victory
- June 26: ASO's hidden agenda, ASO's world domination, Ban Boonen?, Gilberto Simoni, Giro d'Italia, iPods while riding, Oval bars, Tour without minimum bike weight rule?, What about Friere
- June 19: ASO and the Vuelta, ASO's world domination, Ban Boonen?, Ban Boonen? Beware the inquisition, Boonen, Boonen vs. Petacchi, Boonen's Tour exclusion, Giro d'Italia, iPods while riding, Oval bars, Road rage incident, Tom Boonen exclusion from Tour de Suisse
- 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 Riccò, 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.
