Letters to Cyclingnews - June 3, 2005

Giro excitement vs Tour blah

I agree. Followers of professional cycling can only sustain a high level of interest in the overall GC outcome while the final placings are unresolved/in doubt/open to change/surprise. The Giro has it all...a dozen contenders still in the frame at the half-way stage and five still battling it out with just days to go.

For the Tour, the problem is simple. The organisers have given out to self-hype and the finish is, and probably has to be, in the heart of Paris. For drama, the answer is to have the final days in the Alps, with the very last day finishing somewhere exciting...like at the top of Alpe d'Huez.

John Leitch

Surrey, England, UK
Friday, May 27, 2005

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Giro excitement vs Tour blah #2

In answer to Michel's comparison of the Giro vs the Tour (vs the Vuelta). It's about the players, not the route. Just look at the last week of the 2004 TDF. Lots of potential drama save for the domination of Lance. I recall lots of speculation on how second though fifth would shakedown. It's just that 1st was sewn up. With the unfortunate illness of Basso (don't CSC have their own chef to greatly eliminate this possibility? If not - best get one on the payroll fellas), we don't have a dominator in this Giro.

In this Giro, If one of the contenders dominated the early TT & all the uphill stages (as a certain Texan seems to do in France every year) to this point, the Giro would be a carbon copy of the past few TDFs. With one team riding tempo, defending a massive lead.

Christopher McCart
Friday, May 27, 2005

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Giro excitement vs Tour blah #3

Michel van Musschenbroek writes that an "Alfred Hitchcock movie where the killer is revealed" early on would be dull. This is a particularly inapt analogy. In the Hitchcock film 'Rope' the killers are revealed to the auidence early and the rest of the film is people talking about this and that and, of course, Jimmy Stewart's growing realisation that two of his students have killed a third.

In addition, Hitchcock argued vigorously that it is more exciting to reveal the bomb and then have people sitting round a table talking as the timer counted down than it is to just show the bomb blowing up. The excitment, in other words, is not the big event, murders exposed, bombs exploding, or the presumptive favorite winning a race, but rather in the events that lead up to the big event. Examples might include: small children and small bags bringing down a presumptive winner, time trialing past one's nearest rival, radical dehydration during a TT, the arch-rivals charging up mountains, and so forth.

Tom Bach

Syracuse NY
Friday, May 27, 2005

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Giro excitement vs Tour blah #4

I agree 100%. Whoever decided that the Tour de France is the greatest cycling race? I have been fascinated with the Giro this year and the whole time, I'm thinking, this is the greatest race I've seen. If the Giro organizers could get it together a little more; more languages on their website, more items to purchase, spread the word, the Giro could easily surpass the Tour.

I'll be glad when LA retires, and I hope to see Basso or Cunego or anyone for that matter, win two Grand Tours in the same year, to shut everybody up about how impossible that is.

Mike Hare,

San Antonio, TX
Friday, May 27, 2005

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Giro excitement vs Tour blah #5

I completely agree with you.

Le Tour is very predictable; more like a media frenzy, with Lance everywhere in the spotlight, and only in 2003 was there some emotion in between, provided to us by Jan almighty. The Giro, however, had attacks over the mountains and flat stages, mountain finishes, beautiful scenarios, mountains everywhere, four or five people with the chance to win, emotions everywhere - in two words, RACERS RACING, not taking care of who is around.

Thanks bella Italia, and its Giro, for three weeks of countless emotions, vibrations, examples of courage & determination. Au revoir le Tour, and benvenuto Giro

Dax Jaikel

San Jose, Costa Rica
Friday, May 27, 2005

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Ivan Basso

I regard Ivan Basso as a very good competitive rider. However, it's amusing to read letters from people who are pining to see a Giro-Tour double win, touting Ivan Basso as the most likely candidate. How about Ivan winning ONE grand tour first before dreaming about winning two, let alone two in the same year. Like the Grand Slam in golf, you have to win the Masters first before you can worry about the U.S. Open, British Open, and PGA. The same goes for other potential double winners.

The old days of the big boys showing up at every major race and going hard are gone for good. The best teams are training for a TDF win by using a power management methodology. If competing in the Giro was the best training for the TDF, then Discovery, T-Mobile, Liberty Seguros et al would have their A teams at the Giro, and they haven't done that. Discovery isn't even fielding their best B team for this Giro, which would make a win by Salvodelli even more impressive (and he lost his best climber, Tom Danielson over a week ago).

Finally, if you are Ivan Basso and have the Maglia Rosa, you don't suddenly decide to do a training ride and lose 40 minutes to the field. You must defend the jersey. What's impressive about Ivan was that after he fell out of contention, he recovered and won two stages.

Chris Taeger

New York City
Saturday, May 28, 2005

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Ivan's training ride

I used to be an Armstrong fan; autographs, etc, but lately he has deterred my thinking. It started last year with the Simeoni incident, which I thought was very unprofessional, and the way he rubbed it in Floyd's face at the Tour de Georgia when he clearly knew he was the strongest rider there, and then badmouthed a loyal lieutenant I find myself wanting him to be beaten.

Also, the way they (Discovery Channel) try to obtain any rider who might be a threat (like Basso) - the team reminds me of the Yankees, so the way Rujano just rode they will doubt lure him.

I'm a cycle fan and love when any rider of any team makes an epic effort. I'm a Landis fan and now root for Phonak and CSC and truly believe Basso will win the tour with his new found TT ability, which I accredit to Dave Z and a lot of hard work. I know Discovery have a strong team, but if they falter and Landis can't win I hope he helps Basso or Ullrich and then points to the clock like LA did to him.

Thom Heffner

Lancaster, Pa.
Friday, May 27, 2005

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Discovering the future

Can they do no wrong? Clearly not. Year after year, the former USPS (now Discovery) team have taken pros who have lost their way in other teams and rejuvenated them. Lance aside, Salvodelli has come from two years in the wilderness at T-mobile to a fairly certain second Giro win. This would give 'team Bruyneel' its eighth Grand Tour victory in six years. Surely this speaks volumes for the sheer attention to detail and investment in perfecting each rider's riding skills that the team management have applied.

With Lance surely entering into his last Grand Tour, the end of one era and beginning of another has arrived. The transition should be all the sweeter when you consider the depth of talent Discovery have - in a sense - discovered. Savoldelli aside (he is a youthful 32 after all), Popovych has clearly been brought into the team to take over the team leadership when Lance steps down. In fact, I would go as far as to say the biggest threat to Lance winning his 7th Tour will be from his own team. Not that Popovyich will attack Lance but there is a definite strategy to have a strong back up should Lance not command as we have been used to. Certainly the tour should be won by Discovery. With Salvodelli, Popovyich and Azevedo as super mountain domestiques, Lance arguably has the strongest team of all his seven tour campaigns. And should he not dominate as we have grown used to, Popovyich, Salvodelli and Azevedo for that matter, have the ability and team to see through a second Grand Tour victory in '05.

Alexander Canvin

London, UK
Friday, May 27, 2005

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Jose Rujano

I must say that Jose Rujano has burst into the spotlight of pro cycling. He was an absolute gem to follow in the Giro. I am a big fan of the guys who can dominate in the mountains. In Rujano there seems to be the makings of a Marco Pantani type of rider. A pint sized Rujano can power up the mountains with his 49 kg frame with great ease. I couldnt help but notice that his ears are exactly like Pantani's were. He has the elephantino ears - as Armstong labeled Pantani in the 2000 Tour. It's borderline scary to me...he really reminds me of Senor Marco, and with such similar abilities it seems like - a guy who would lose time in the time trail but gain a lot back in the mountains.

What a thrill it is too see a "true climber" like Rujano in the peloton - I think he is the next big star. Its' ironic after a stage win in the Giro - he said he wore an earring like Pantani and wanted to be like him, as Pantani was his hero.

Todd Peddie

Toronto, Ontario
Wednesday, June 01, 2005

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Savoldelli vs Simoni

Perhaps like most others in recent years, I anticipated this Giro only for the reason that as soon as it was over that we would be that much closer to the start of the Tour. I had some hope that Simoni might do something special and was hoping that the "underdog" might get past some of his troubles from last year. Now that the Giro is finished, my views have gone 180 degrees on both thoughts. This year's Giro was absolutely EPIC! The major climbing days were incredible and the drama just amazing. This year completely reinvigorated my interest in the Giro.

As for Simoni…I couldn't be more disappointed in an athlete. There is no doubt that Simoni is an incredibly talented rider. However, at what point is he going to take accountability for his results? I am so tired of hearing his endless gripes about who wasn't there to help him. On the contrary, Savoldelli knew he had no significant help going into the Giro and made the most of it. Not only did he make the most of it, he simply executed flawlessly on his strategy and knew the goal. He used the resources available to him and made the most of it, and not just finish with a strong result, but with a WIN! All Simoni seemed to be able to muster in his commentary was the classification of fellow riders as clowns and the comparison of the peloton to a caravan. It's too bad that Simoni might likely be recalled more for his relentless whining and criticism than for what have been strong results over the years.

Hats off to Savoldelli for his sportsmanship, his respect for the peloton, and his respect for what is a major event for our sport.

Jeff Ishmael

Southern California
Sunday, May 29, 2005

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How Ullrich can win the Tour

In response to Tim's letter about how to beat Armstrong, I wonder if he even paid any attention to last year's tour. Last year's race deficit that was put into all of Armstrong's rivals was never as a result of past Armstrong moves where he accelerated near the finish of the stage.

He let his rivals beat themselves up by trying to keep pace with his stacked climbing unit and added any time bonuses possible with the time trials. Armstrong will likely continue his strategy of last year and only mark his rivals if they attack. Ullrich's flaws of the past couple of years have been in his training leading up to the tour and his odd strategies during the mountains. I can't think of too many times when a race contender has attacked on the second to last climb and not been chased down successfully by the teams of every other contender.

I also question Jan's personal trainer's idea of working on losing weight less than three months before the Tour. Anyone with an ounce of physiology knowledge knows that an aggressive weight loss only leads to a loss of energy. I believe that for Jan Ullrich to win the tour he needs to find a different trainer or new training style. Perhaps that has happened this year as he has said a few times that he's on schedule or slightly ahead.

No matter who wins, I believe this tour will be an epic battle.

Dan Carrington

Raleigh, NC
Friday, May 27, 2005

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How Ullrich can win the Tour #2

I have different take on this. To my mind, if the Tour was four weeks long, Ullrich would have won them all. Each time he seems to come in and feel queasy in the first week. Then he hits the mountains and seems to get stronger and stronger. So, my suggestion to him and his directeur is to do a really tough stage race just prior to the tour to get him into shape. It would appear that Ullrich has a body that needs punishment to get him into top condition.

Of course, the other thing he needs is a team without sprinters. This is a huge plus for Armstrong. However, Zabel is not going to be left out. Ullrich should do a deal with him. If Erik agrees to be a domestique during the tour, Ullrich returns the favour for him in a few classics.

Norman Winn

France
Friday, May 27, 2005

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Eddy Merckx Interview

I 100% concur with Leith Brown's thoughts on Eddy. Listing him as the greatest cyclist ever is so obvious, but why isn't he considered one of the all time greatest ATHLETES. He won more events over a longer period of time than other's frequently named to this list: Michael Jordan, Jim Thorpe, Secretariat, you name it. Maybe folks don't understand just how hard a 120 mile bike race is, or that winning a mountain top finish is as different from winning a sprint as polo and water polo.

I'd add to the list of all time greatest slights the lack of recognition for the turn-of-the-century racer Marshal "Major" Taylor, who at one point held seven world records and was the highest paid athlete in the world, despite being banned from some races because of the color of his skin. When I hear someone say that somebody is the Jackie Robinson of this or that field, I always point out that Jackie Robinson was the Major Taylor of baseball.

Steve O'Dell

Peachtree City, Georgia
Friday, May 27, 2005

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Johan Bruyneel

Thanks for the fantastic, emotive and compelling coverage of the Giro d'Italia. What a great race it was! Nice to see Salvoldelli keep hold of the Maglia Rosa all the way to Milan...I congratulate him and also Johan Bruyneel. What a great Director Sportif he has turned out to be. Everyone talks about Riis as a great DS, and Basso's heroics help to show that he is, but Bruyneel is the only team leader I can think of that has won all three Grand Tours in modern times, and with three such different riders! Of course Bruyneel is rightly famous for inspiring Lance Armstrong's belief in himself as a Tour winner, but it looks like his talents as a DS don't end there. I fully expect him to put another man or men on the Grand Tour podiums in the coming years...Tom Danielson or Yaroslav Popovych - who will be next?

Oli Brooke-White

Wellington, New Zealand
Monday, May 30, 2005

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Show us your discards Godefroot!

With Paolo Savoldelli's comeback win at the Giro coming hot on the heels of Santiago Botero's career rejuvenating Tour of Romandie victory one has to wonder how far the 'kiss of life' from hapless T-Mobile boss Walter Godefroot can extend? At this rate Cadel Evans, another of Godefroot's 2004 discards, must surely be firming up as a Tour de France podium prospect. Talk about human resource management! This guy sure knows how to get the best out of people - after they've left the team!

Julian Porter

Brisbane, Australia
Monday, May 30, 2005

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Improving Pro Tour Team Rankings

I've just been looking through the Pro Tour Team Rankings. I am not sure exactly how they are calculated. Judging by the recently published Pro Tour team rankings, they must be scored based on the Overall Team performance category from Pro Tour races.

The official Pro Tour Team Rankings are:

1 Davitamon-Lotto 191 pts
2 Rabobank 191
3 Phonak Hearing Systems 173
4 Team CSC 170
5 Fassa Bortolo 158

I don't think that's a meaningful way to rank teams, and I don't believe teams or sponsors (or even riders or Directors) think about them that way. First of all, only a few (often marginal) teams really put much stock in going for the team rankings during a race. Second, these team rankings generate little publicity for the teams who do well. Furthermore, teams with strong GC, sprints (points) or mountains prospects usually sacrifice their team ranking for the benefit of improved rider rankings in the individually categories. I wanted to see a "team" ranking based on the sum of the Pro Tour points earned by individual riders on the team. This turns out to be a much more interesting ranking, and one that I think better corresponds to the interests of fans and sponsors. Here's what such a ranking looks like based on Pro Tour points through May 31:

1 Fassa Bortolo 288
2 Liquigas-Bianchi 254
3 Discovery Channel 225
4 Rabobank 211
5 Quick Step 207
6 Phonak Hearing Systems 203
7 Team CSC 202
8 Davitamon-Lotto 187
9 Lampre-Caffita 173
10 Liberty Seguros-Würth 170
11 Illes Balears 144
12 Saunier Duval-Prodir 135
13 T-Mobile Team 133
14 Gerolsteiner 112
15 Domina Vacanze 101
16 Credit Agricole 97
17 Cofidis 83
18 Française Des Jeux 31
19 Bouygues Telecom 29
20 Euskaltel-Euskadi 4

Grand Total 2989

This ranking makes a lot more sense to me than the published Pro Tour team rankings. Fassa is top ranked because of 111 points from Petacchi, plus 65 from Flecha, 31 from Cancellara, 30 from Kirchen and a few others. Liquigas is second because of Di Luca (184) plus points from Backstedt, Pellizotti and a few others. Davitamon-Lotto drops from first in the Pro Tour Team rankings to eighth because their best individual rider is Nico Mattan with 40 points. And who really thinks Davitamon is having a great year so far?

I also submit that this sort of team ranking would be a good one to use if the Pro Tour decides to consider the relegation of a couple teams at the end of the year. Now that would add some spice to the bottom of these team rankings. Euskatel, where are you? Let's hope the Pro Tour adopts this sort of team ranking system. Until then, perhaps Cycling News can take on the job of calculating this improved team ranking system each month. I guarantee riders, directors and sponsors, as well as fans, would want to take a look at it.

Brent Koehler

Minnesota
Wednesday, June 1, 2005

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Lance and the Tour

I don't know where to start, but even Lance Armstrong's biggest haters, critics and rivals will miss the Texan when he is gone. A lot of people are too stubborn to warm to Armstrong's abilities, and despise the fact the he has dominated the Tour de France for the last six years.

Armstrong has brought the Tour back to such prestige after the major doping scandal in the 1998 edition. He has won every year since then. Lance has no weakness (maybe age) - he can win any time trial, and win any mountain stage of the Tour. Who else can do that? No one. The time trial guys usually lose time in the mountains every time. Armstrong gains on both. It's like he is at that perfect power to weight ratio. Never too heavy for the climbs, but strong enough to win a 55km time trial.

That's very tough to beat, and is why we still have to respect the talent, ability and determination of Lance.

Todd Peddie

Toronto, Ontario
Wednesday, June 1, 2005

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Armstrong and class

I nearly fell of my chair at this letter. Can anyone be so naive to think that Armstrong would help someone else win "his" race.

You also make the mistake of expecting Armstrong to work for anyone else. Basically, since he became "Tour Lance" he has made a lot of promises to help others and nearly always ended his season before keeping his word. There was even talk this year that he was coming to do Flanders and Roubaix with the aim of winning. Now, if I was a certain George Hincapie, who has sacrificed so many possible stage wins in the tour for Lance, I would be just a little upset.

I must say that it really does get on my nerves that everyone thinks that Lance is such a great cyclist. He races a handful of races a year, cherry picks his team so that no one else is allowed any ambition in "his" race. In fact he never even attacked in last year's tour, but let his team burn everyone else off. He prepares awesomely for the tour no doubt, but he can never be considered a truly great racer because he doesn't race very often.

Personally I have far more respect for someone like Erik Zabel who races all year round including track in the winter. Now there is a real racer!

Gareth

San Diego, USA
Friday, May 27, 2005

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Recent letters pages

Letters 2005

• May 27: Giro excitement vs Tour blah, Great Giro!, Double or nothing..., Colle delle Finestre and a Cipo farewell, Joseba Beloki, Ivan's training ride, Hell on Wheels, Matt Wittig, How Ullrich can win the Tour, UCI fines, Armstrong and class, Eddy Merckx Interview, The disappointment of Viatcheslav Ekimov, You have let us down Paolo
• May 20: Colle delle Finestre tactics, Rogues, It just keeps happening, Davis Phinney, Joseba Beloki, Australia - number one, You have let us down Paolo, Bettini/Cooke, What's up with pro cyclists these days?, Cipo, Cipo, Cipo, A question about team names, The disappointment of Viatcheslav Ekimov, Go Eki!
• May 13: Hit and run, Bettini vs Cooke, Bettini's Illegal sprint, You have let us down Paolo, Giro, Bettini/Cooke, Cookie's crumble, Bjarne's right: There's only one Jens Voigt!, Jens Voigt and the blind, South Australians protest against hit-and-run death, It just keeps happening, Liberty Seguros, The disappointment of Viatcheslav Ekimov, Go Eki!, Australia - number one, Irresistible in July, UCI weight rule
• May 6: South Australians protest against hit-and-run death, Tyler Hamilton's case, Hamilton and the facts The USADA decision on Tyler Hamilton, Tyler Hamilton, Tyler, Testing and the Virenque Comparison, How do dopers live with themselves?, General view on doping, Hamilton guilty regardless of the facts, Hamilton verdict, Tyler is good going uphill, Hamilton interview, Klöden comments, Tyler H, Simoni, Grazie Mario, Sheryl Crow, or should we say...Yoko Ono
• April 29: South Australians protest against hit-and-run death, Tyler Hamilton's case, Hamilton and the facts The USADA decision on Tyler Hamilton, Tyler Hamilton, Tyler, Testing and the Virenque Comparison, How do dopers live with themselves?, General view on doping, Hamilton guilty regardless of the facts, Hamilton verdict, Tyler is good going uphill, Hamilton interview, Klöden comments, Tyler H, Simoni, Grazie Mario, Sheryl Crow, or should we say...Yoko Ono
• April 22: Lance Armstrong's retirement, W is for Witchhunt, Tyler's mishandling defense, Not for real, is it?, Bad Science, Blood testing issues, Hamilton - finally a decision, Regarding the Tyler Hamilton decision, Tyler Hamilton, Satisfying Verdict for Hamilton Case, How do dopers live with themselves?, Hamilton's case, Tyler Hamilton's case, Hamilton, Hamilton verdict and a call for outside expertise, Tyler Hamilton saga..., Tour de France preview...2006!, Klöden comments, Tour de France Training, The New Dynamic Duo, Sheryl Crow, or should we say...Yoko Ono, Random Musings
• April 15: Glenn Wilkinson, USADA and Hamilton, Bergman; so sad, ProTour leader's jersey, That's a Jersey?, Too many chiefs?, Track World Championships, What do you think?
• April 8: The New Dynamic Duo, Boonen's Hairdo, Viral infections and antibiotics, George Hincapie, What do you think?, Track World Championships, VDB?, A little bit more about blood doping, Blood testing issues
• April 1: Well done Ale-jet, Eyes of tigers..., Viral infections and antibiotics, Let's talk about cycling…, What's worth talking about in cycling?, First Ride of the season, The New Dynamic Duo, Blood testing issues, Sydney Thousand, UCI Pro Tour Grand Theft, not Grand Tour
• March 18: The Forgotten Hero!, Way to go Bobby, Bobby J, Lance has lost the ‘Eye of the tiger’, Blood testing issues and Hamilton, With all Due Respect, All this Lance Talk..., Is Lance getting soft?
• March 11: Blood testing issues and Hamilton, Cycling on TV, In Defence of UCI president Hein Verbruggen, Defending the Pro Tour?, Is Lance getting soft?, Lance has lost the "eye of the tiger"
• March 4: In Defence of the Pro-Tour, Grand Tours back down...for now, Armstrong and Simeoni,Help - what’s on the TV?, Cycling on TV, Lance Defends His Title!, Hamilton movie role downplayed, Blood testing issues and Hamilton, I really don't know when it happened
• February 25: Lance Defends His Title!, Build it and tear it down?, Build, dismantle and donate!, Lance's Hour Record attempt, I really don't know when it happened, Can't get enough!, Dream on
• February 18: Build it and tear it down?, Remember Marco, One Reason I Love Cycling, The ongoing Hour Record Saga, Lance’s Hour Record attempt, Can't get enough!
• February 11: One Reason I Love Cycling, Francisco Cuevas, F-One - Come down to earth Lance!, Armstrong and the Hour, Can't get enough!, Greatest of all time
• February 4: F-One - Come down to earth Lance!, Armstrong and the Hour, Armstrong and Simeoni, Can't get enough!, Help, Greatest of all time Eddy is King, but who is second best?
• January 28: "I am the greatest of all time", Armstrong and the Hour Record, F-One - Come down to earth Lance!, Lance Drug Probe, Armstrong and Simeoni, Can’t get enough!, Help, NBC's 2004 RAAM Coverage, Doping, Crash distance from 1km to 3km, Eddy is King, but who is second best?
• January 21: Professional Cyclists, Der Kaiser's Goals, Jan Ullrich's problem = Lance, Rider of the Year, Crash distance from 1km to 3km, Help, Lance vs. Eddy
• January 14: Der Kaiser's goals, Help, Foreign stage races, Lance vs. Eddy, Tour '05, Rider of the Year, Best bikes for heavy riders, Quick Step helmets
• January 7: Death of Dmitri Neliubin, Der Kaiser’s goals, Rider of the Year, Best bikes for heavy riders, Who's Greater? Come on now!, Virenque "most charismatic"?, Downhilling, Downhill time trial, Trendy cyclists, No flat tyres, Spring classics trip advice, Bettini's trainer
• January 3: Spring classics trip advice, Big Bear ends downhilling, Armstrong and Simeoni, Holding teams accountable, Downhill time trial, Trendy cyclists, Bettini's trainer, No flat tyres

Letters 2004

• December 24 letters - Why are cyclists so trendy?, Business and cycling, Big Bear ends downhilling, Off-bike weight gain, No flat tires, Armstrong and Simeoni
• December 17 letters - Business and cycling, Tom versus Axel , Big Bear ends downhilling, Shane Perkins, Spring classics trip advice, Tyler Hamilton, Phonak and the UCI, Why are cyclists so trendy?, Mark Webber interview, Armstrong and Simeoni, Injured and missing it: an update, Clyde Sefton
• December 10 letters - Why are cyclists so trendy?, Big Bear ends downhilling, Floyd's choices?, Merckx, fit and trim, Pound must go, Spring classics trip advice, Tyler Hamilton, Phonak and the UCI, Punishment: Vandenbroucke vs Hamilton, Prosthetic hip, Armstrong and Simeoni, Dave Fuentes, Homeopathy, Jeremy Yates, TDF coverage for Australia, Weight limits and maintenance, Mark Webber interview
• December 3 letters - Domestiques vs Lieutenants, Tyler Hamilton, Phonak and the UCI, Dave Fuentes, Santa vs Hairy Guy, Why are cyclists so trendy?, Mark French and homeopathy, Shane Perkins, Jeremy Yates, Weight limits and maintenance, UCI regulations, Armstrong and Simeoni, Prosthetic hip
• November 26 letters - Mark French and homeopathy, Two big guns in one team, Tyler Hamilton case, Bartoli's retirement, Dave Fuentes, Shane Perkins, Merckx and Armstrong, Training like Lance, Lance Armstrong, Why are cyclists so trendy?, Phonak gets what it deserves, Armstrong and Simeoni, Bike weight, Spouseless riders, Mary McConneloug, Adam Craig, Mark Webber interview, Santa vs Hairy Guy
• November 19 letters - Tyler Hamilton case, Phonak gets what it deserves, Are you there Mr Coates?, Bike Weight, Merckx and Maertens make up, Heart troubles, Where to find cycling spouses, Mark Webber interview, Lance Armstrong, Where's Greg?, What ever happened to..., Why are cyclists so trendy?, Armstrong and Simeoni, l'Etape du Tour registration, Still Laughing
• November 12 letters - Why Armstrong will ride the 2005 Tour, Scott Sunderland, Why are cyclists so trendy?, Armstrong and Simeoni, Where to find cycling spouses, Lance on Italian selection, Heart troubles, l'Etape du Tour registration, Tour 2005 team time trial, What ever happened to..., Love and a yellow bike
• November 5 letters - Love and a yellow bike, Tour 2005, Where to find cycling spouses, Why are cyclists so trendy?, Lance on Italian selection, Armstrong and Simeoni, Tour of Southland, Construction technique for veloway, Heart troubles, l'Etape du Tour registration, Rahsaan Bahati
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