Letters to Cyclingnews - August 5, 2005

Thanks from a survivor

I am a 56 year old cycling junkie and I have Leukaemia. After being given a short period of time to live three years ago and then reading 'It's not about the Bike', I once again found cycling and from a struggling 4km three times a week, I'm now averaging 35km daily, and although I will not win the next seven Tours, I say thank you for the inspiration and the memories, may your retirement be full of new and rewarding achievements.

Wayne Wallace

Toowoomba, Queensland (SURVIVOR)
Friday, July 29, 2005

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Bicycle safety

As a cycling enthusiast who cherishes my time on the bike, I don't need the horrible tragedy to the Australian Women's cycling team in Germany during the last days of the Tour to remind me of the dangers associated with "sharing" the road. I am hoping that now that Lance is free of his training requirements and is readying himself for new horizons; he can use his equivalent of the cycling "bully pulpit" to speak to all of us as drivers about the need to slow down, chill out and watch out for the bicycle that is potentially just around the next bend.

Brian Berry

Newtown, PA
Friday, July 29, 2005

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Message for Chris Horner

Chris,

I'll second everything that Steve said in his letter. It was fun having you on the Webcor team and participating in a couple of those rides with you, Charles, and Mr. Wohlberg.

I'm glad you finally got to ride the tour. It was good to see you in the thick of many key moves, and it was nice to hear some recognition of your abilities from Phil and Paul on OLN.

Congratulations, and I look forward to seeing you on OLN again next year!

Dave Stahl

Also from Santa Clara
Friday, July 29, 2005

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Perspective

Cheers Steve and good call. I had the exact same thoughts when I saw that.

Christopher McCart
Friday, July 29, 2005

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Perspective #2

Steve - well said. Bravo!

Shawn Wathen
Monday, August 1, 2005

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Discovery in ninth

Does anyone else besides me think there has got to be something wrong with the ProTour team rankings when the team that has won this year's two Grand Tour events is mired in ninth place. Now, it can be said that they have not done much other than two GT wins; however, that is more than 40 combined days of racing. Or it can be said that they have not done much else. But they won three individual stages at this year's Tour de France, as well as two jerseys, the TTT, and didn't Savoldelli win at least one stage at the Giro? And didn't they finish second overall on team GC? Popovych won Catalunya as well.

Now, I can understand them not being in the top two or three as their emphasis has been on the GTs and not the former World Cup events, but ninth? Clearly the system needs some tweaking. It is understandable how some teams are up there, but Liberty, or Credit Agricole? Please give me a break. Oh and by the way, it was a little less than a year ago that I asked the question "Isn't it time someone took a chance on Chris Horner?"

Doug Lister

San Diego, CA, USA
Tuesday, August 02, 2005

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Tech

I am not sure that Mr O'Dell has kept up with modern numbering. All the riders that I saw at this year's Tour had numbers stuck to their jerseys with adhesive. There wasn't a safety pin in sight. We were treated to the same at the Etape du Tour, so he needn't worry - cycling moves forward even in Europe .

Gavin Linnett

Durban, South Africa
Friday, July 29, 2005

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Armstrong and class

In regards to Mr Cho's letter regarding Armstrong's inability to even, in any era, and on any team, do "what an Eddy Merckx did - win everything," there is no way to compare the two riders.

In Eddy's time, EVERYONE raced everthing. He beat the same guys in the classics, as he did in the grand tours. All the guys showed up in March fat and out of shape, (by today's standards), and raced each other. Eddy was better. Then when tour time came and they were all in form; Eddy was still better. He won everything because he was better than the same guys all year round.

It would appear that people expect Armstrong to be in form and beating Di Luca and Rebellin in March and April, Simoni/Cunego in May, Vino/Mayo in June, Ullrich/Basso/Beloki in July...you get the idea. In today's racing, different riders specifically target specific races, whether they are grand tours or one day classics. You can't hold peak form all year.

If Merckx were riding today, he would have to do things a lot differently. Armstrong chose the most difficult, most prestigious race on the calendar, and won it SEVEN TIMES IN A ROW! That is amazing, whether you are a fan of Armstrong or not.

Jon Alvarez
Friday, July 29, 2005

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Armstrong and class #2

Eric Cho wrote: "Armstrong has the fortune of being American at the right time, and having the backing of major sponsors (both title and other) to fund a super-Tour-team whose sole obligation is to Lance's victory. No other team has this, as they are European, and have other races in mind for which they must spread their talent spectrum (and therefore, dollars) more widely. Armstrong could never do (at this point in his career and with his past teams) what an Eddy Merckx did - win everything. Why do we never see someone winning the World Cup (former) 4, 5, 6 times in a row? Yet, we've seen five five-time Tour winners?"

Somehow he might have missed that Discovery also won the Tour of Georgia, the Giro, and a couple spring classics (not to mention second at P-R) with three riders other than Lance. So to say that Discovery exists purely for the Tour de France is simply not accurate. They may be the "Yankees" of cycling, but when you win that much, you're simply going to have more money at your disposal than most teams. You can't blame them for that.

Paul Frank
Monday, August 1, 2005

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Armstrong and class #3

Two things.

First, Armstrong was faster than Jan in the mountains and in the final time trial (look at the time checks before Ullrich's crash). It was amazing to find out how sick Armstrong was for two stages (similar to Basso's Giro) and he still won by brutal gut strength. Money didn't help him at all.

Second, athletes cannot win everything because of the technique of peaking. You can achieve your highest fitness for a very short time. But it is a higher fitness than could be maintained over the entire cycling season.

Third, in any sport the past is simply not comparable. The equipment, the computer timing (instead of a stopwatch), drug-testing have changed the sport and the results as well. All for the better.

Timothy Shame

USA
Friday, July 29, 2005

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The King of July!

I don't understand why people continually point to Jan Ullrich's pedalling style/cadence as a reason why he hasn't been able to beat Armstrong in the last seven years. Even Armstrong has said "Ullrich uses too high a gear". Such statements are so nonsensical that at least when Lance says it you know he is playing mind games: Ullrich has been riding a bike for how long, and he is still picking the wrong gear? Armstrong found a cadence and style that works for him, and no doubt Jan Ullrich uses a style and cadence that bests suits HIS body. To say "if only he had a more supple pedalling style" makes it sound like it never occured to Ullrich, T-Mobile, or Rudy Peverage to examine Jan's pedal stroke.

Rob Found
Tuesday, August 2, 2005

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Heras through rose colored glasses

As for next year at Liberty Seguros - with Vinokourov, Kashechkin and Yakovlev on the team, I'm not sure what the future has in store for Heras and Beloki. I hope it's with Liberty. However, I think that there's a reason Roberto finished the Tour in 45th place, roughly 1.5 hours behind Lance. He's a much stronger rider than that (just ask Lance). I look for a very strong, in form, Heras defending the Golden Fleece in September.

Tom Atherholt

Moorestown, NJ, USA
Tuesday, August 2, 2005

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Possible correlations

March 17, 2005:

"I have never used steroids. Period."

US Pro Baseballer Rafael Palmeiro's statement to Congress.

Aug. 1, 2005:

"I am here to make it very clear that I have never intentionally used steroids. Never. Ever. Period."

Palmeiro following his 10-day suspension for a positive steroids test.

Sept. 21, 2004:

"I can guarantee you I am 100 percent innocent."

Tyler Hamilton in a Zurich press conference after anomalies were found in his blood.

Sean Weide

Omaha, Nebraska, USA
Wednesday, August 3, 2005

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Recent letters pages

Letters 2005

• July 29: Perspective, France and Lance's Legacy, Armstrong and class, Best Wishes to Louise, Levi's Diary, Heras through rose colored glasses, The King of July, Here we go again!, Treat Lance like the others, Tech, Lance Armstrong's time trial equation, Life begins at 30
• July 22: McEwen - villain to superhero, Underdogs and overdogs at the Tour, Big George, George Hincape, Hincapie's stage win, Cadel's Tour memory, What the fans would love to see, Is Godefroot really NOT the man?, A true classic, Phonak's poor sportsmanship, Phonak double standards, My new hero, Discovery Channel tactics, Lance Infomercial?, Treat Lance like the others, TdF sprint finishes, Leaky Gas?, Little black box
• July 15: The best seat in the house, Joseba Beloki, Message for Chris Horner, Treat Lance like the others, Lance Infomercial?, McEwen defense, Rail lines in the TdF, Ruse Discovered?, Discovery's unanimous breakdown, IS Jan really the man?, Cycling socks, Patrick Lefevre quit your whining, Armstrong and class, Leaky Gas?, TdF sprint finishes, Who is in charge of the UCI?, Tires and slippery roads, Response to the Vowels of Cycling, Little black box
• July 8: McEwen defends himself, Tires and slippery roads, Random test on Lance Armstrong, French Government dope controls, The Pro Tour and Grand Tours, Tour de France's early finish?, Here we go again!, Thank you, Ed Kriege, Lance Infomercial?, No, the other Merckx!, The Vowels of Cycling, Armstrong's pre-Tour communiqués, Armstrong and class
• July 1: No, the other Merckx!, Armstrong's pre-Tour communiqués, The Vowels of Cycling, Figures of merit - TdF tipping, Lance Infomercial?, Daily Terror, Sydney article, Why Michael Rogers will be awesome with T-Mobile, I love it!, MTB news, Twins
• June 24: Sydney article, Hit and run on cyclists - Australia's new blood sport?, Another fatal hit and run on Australian cyclists, How can Ullrich win the Tour?, Drop Verbruggen, The second American, When the Tour heads up, Droppin' the Kilo!, Kilo or no go, What is Michael Rogers thinking?, Rogers to T-Mobile, For the love of god don't do it Mick!, The first yellow jersey, Horner Impressive, Leave T-Mobile/Fassa Bortolo, renew your career!, Horner's stage win at the Tour de Suisse, Bobby Julich, Daily Terror, Hell on Wheels review
• June 17: Droppin' the Kilo!, Killing the kilo and 500, The kilo, Axing the Kilo?, The track Time Trials, The first yellow jersey, Armstrong and Class, The year of the comeback, Horner's stage win at the Tour de Suisse
• June 10: The year of the comeback, An open letter to Cadel Evans, How Ullrich can win the Tour, USPRO/Liberty, Lance, the Tour and the Giro, Lance and the Tour, Show us your discards Godefroot!, Armstrong and Class, Ivan's training ride, Giro comments
• June 3: Giro comments, Giro excitement vs Tour blah, Ivan Basso, Ivan's training ride, Discovering the future, Jose Rujano, Savoldelli vs Simoni, How Ullrich can win the Tour, Eddy Merckx Interview, Johan Bruyneel, Show us your discards Godefroot!, Improving Pro Tour Team Rankings, Lance and the Tour, Armstrong and class
• 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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