Letters to Cyclingnews - October 7, 2005

Bravo, Lieswyn

I have to agree with Dan Fuller's comments on John Llieswyn's retirement. I feel like I've learned a lot of "real" bike racing from reading John's entries. It's clear that, in the world of professional cycling, for every Lance Armstrong who gets to use a private jet or at least first class travel to get to his races in Europe, there are 300 struggling pros - elite athletes all - who fly coach on red-eye flights and struggle with lost bikes, strange equipment, jet lag and lousy accomodations. All for the privilege of making massive efforts to negotiate a feed zone, grab a feed for someone else, and hump it back to the front of the race just in time to do it over again. I find tremendous inspiration in John's writing, and in his ability to find personal satisfaction in his work. Not that John was always working for others; his own results are extremely impressive!

I hope John does not decide to retire completely as a writer. Perhaps his diary days are done, but his insights into pro racing - especially domestic pro racing - will be welcome long after his retirement if he chooses to share them.

Paul Hurdlow

Austin, TX
Friday, September 30, 2005

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1999 Tour de France urine samples

UCI has engaged a Netherlands law firm to investigate the testing of urine samples from the 1999 Tour de France by the French National Anti-Doping Laboratory ("LNDD"). This is a positive development toward understanding the motivation and testing processes utilized by the LNDD for the 1999 samples.

I am a bit perplexed, however, that UCI has questioned the ability of WADA to conduct an independent investigation of the 1999 samples because WADA is, in UCI's terms, "an involved party."

Isn't it true that UCI provided information to L'Equipe, which enabled that publication to identify by name those cyclists whose 1999 samples were tested by LNDD in 2005? Does this fact not make UCI also "an involved party?"

Perhaps it would be best for WADA and UCI, jointly, to appoint a neutral investigator to determine what happened. This issue raises troubling questions about the integrity of WADA, UCI and LNDD. UCI and WADA should, after the publication of an investigation report, submit the findings to CAS for a stipulated resolution of the issues.

Doping in cycling is troubling, and it continues. Cyclists who cheat are as much victims as they are reckless opportunists. But it is the job of WADA and UCI to administer fairly, prudently, and without bias the disciplines of anti-doping and cycling. And that includes protecting the cyclists' right to due process. Both Dick Pound and Hein Verbruggen have made disastrous public statements concerning the 1999 samples.

An LNDD representative has said that Lance Armstrong can test his 1999 samples, in order to "prove his innocence." Such divisive, prejudicial statements only worsen the relationship among athletes, governing bodies of sport and the anti-doping effort.

Fairness is the goal, and if leaders in cycling's governing body and the anti-doping effort lose sight of this, they should be replaced.

Anthony Cowell

New Jersey
Thursday, October 06, 2005

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Allan Butler

I can't believe Allan Butler is gone. I have been putting off writing this thinking it is some kind of bad dream. Unfortunately, it's not. Allan and I have been teammates the last two years on the Healthy Choice/ Goble Knee Clinic team. From the first time I met him, I liked the guy. Allan was the type of racer everyone wants to be. This year, he won two stage race GC's in the final stage of the race. He also won the Utah Cycling Associations Season Title, one of our team's primary goals. But what really impressed me with Allan is how he rode when he was not "on form". Allan was always there, always battling, always willing to throw down for the team, doing whatever he could possibly do to help our team win.
Off the bike, AB was that guy that everyone liked. In cycling, most of us have some people we don't really get along with. On the other hand, I cannot think of anyone who didn't like Al. Although he won a lot, Allan was always a gracious loser; the first to congratulate those who won - just an all-around cool guy.

Allan leaves behind his wife, Jenny, and his nine-month-old daughter, Odessa. Jenny has been the biggest supporter of the Healthy Choice team. There are not many people who will stand in a feedzone for a hundred mile race in crappy weather with a baby! I will never forget the trip I took with Allan and Jenny to the Boise Twilight Criterium this year. Odessa was absolutely the light of Allan's life. He never stopped talking about her. She has the most infectious smile and looks a lot like Allan.

In closing, I want to say I am thankful for getting to know Allan before his time came. When we return to racing, I will keep Allan in mind. To everyone reading, throw down for AB! That is how he would want it. And off the bike, remember to tell the people you love how you feel, you never know when they'll be gone.

Ryan Barrett
Saturday, October 01, 2005

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Allan Butler #2

I too have been trying to wake up from this terrible nightmare that won't go away. I've known Allan Butler since I was 17, and admired him on the Einstein Bagelry team and then the Rhodes team. As a lowly Cat 4-5, I watched Allan with great admiration and hoped and dreamed to one day ride with him. The year I upgraded to a Cat 1-2 I was so excited to be riding in the same group as Allan. I could hardly wait to learn from him. I remember being so excited to introduce him to my wife. Through all of this, I never thought I would ride next to him as a teammate, but my dreams came true this year as I became a member of the Healthy Choice-Goble Knee Clinic team.

During this year, my admiration of Allan has only grown. As I continued to discover the amazing athlete, but more so the amazing person and friend he was to me. Allan and I spent a long miserable day together at LOTOJA 2005 and he proved to me his extreme talent and skill on the bike. I also had the opportunity to travel with Allan to many races and spend time talking about life and cycling with him. Foremost on his mind was his beautiful family and his love for them. One of the most admiral things about Allan was his positive nature; he was never pessimistic and always learned from his experiences. I have the utmost respect and love for Allan, Jenny, and Odessa. Allan was always thinking about his family and was always excited to show us pictures of Odessa. He was so proud to be a father and a husband and loved his two girls with all his heart.

At this time my thoughts and prayers are with Jenny, Odessa, and his dear family. Allan will be greatly missed by all who knew him and especially me. I am honored to have known Allan Butler and will never forget the life lessons he taught me on and off the bike.

Nathan Thomas
Sunday, October 02, 2005

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Tyler Hamilton

If, as we all hope, Tyler is found innocent of doping, will he get compensation for over a year of his career already lost waiting for verdicts and appeals? An innocent man will have been punished for nothing. Hopefully he will return with a chip on his shoulder, Lance style, take out all his frustration on the bike, super motivated and show the world what a great rider he is.

Ian Tucker

Somerset, England
Thursday, October 6, 2005

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Doping versus biomechanical enhancements

The entire sports' world seems to have lost its senses over this issue commonly known as "doping". Everyone is crying for more vigilance in testing so every doper in every sport can be caught, publicly humiliated, and banned for life from the sport.

The problem is our sports' world is myopically focusing on performance-enhancing drugs rather than the real philosophical dilemma: how to define the competitive athlete. Or, when does an athlete become too artificially enhanced to compete?

Given today's biomedical knowledge, I can have my vision improved surgically to 20/15; I can have autologous tendon transplants to strengthen my joints; I can add two inches to my height surgically; I can suction excess fat from any region of my body; I can harvest organs from cadavers to improve whatever. I can replace organs with biomechanical devices.

If a very good athlete had all of those biomedical wonders visited on him, would he have the advantage fairly over the non-medically enhanced athlete? Would this apotheosis of athleticism have the advantage over the athlete who was merely biochemically improved; after all, the body eventually rids itself of these products?

Within four or five generations (how I dread this thought), professionally competitive athletes may be post-natally, biomedically-enhanced clones.

Should any of this be allowed?

If so, what should be the limits on this artificiality?

Umar A. Hassan
Tuesday, October 4, 2005

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Doping control

The reason why sometimes cyclists take a while to give a sample is that they have to pee in a bag. When you are stopped for a breath test you just need to breathe into a bag. Surely even you can appreciate why one can be demanded on the spot whilst the other may take a while. I'm also interested to know how the author of last week's letter about this subject came to think it necessary to write to Cyclingnews with the worst thought out, most unhelpful and ridiculous comments I've read for a long time. I've never replied to a letter before but your one really did stand out! Please never write again.

Marx
Tuesday, October 4, 2005

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Doping control #2

In response to Mr Skippy McCarthy's ill informed letter concerning a time limit on doping control - it's clear that Mr McCarthy has never given an athletic drug sample. Having done so many times both in and out of competition, I can attest to the fact that some days one can be in-and-out like Boonen apparently was, but some days two hours is not out of the question. Dehydration and athletic stress can do strange things to the body. Add to this the "rookie" factor some riders will experience with regard to in competition testing and the "stagefright" some athletes experience and you have the recipe for a long wait for a drug sample. Mr MrCarthy may want to ride a few kilometres in another man's clips before making absurd statements advocating time limits.

Sean Brennan
USA
Friday, September 30, 2005

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Doping control #3

In response to Mr McCarthy's idea that somehow riders should be able to pee on queue - unless you've ridden a professional level race in the summer's boiling temperatures for four hours and then been required to produce sufficient urine to fill their sample cup I wouldn't be so fast to criticise the speed of racer's metabolic functions in re-hydrating. In some junior races in the United States I've seen riders accompanied by medical officials for four hours until they could produce. Nature doesn't have to work to your idea of scheduling.

Thomas Kunich
Friday, September 30, 2005

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McQuaid's image

Given the controversy surrounding the recent appointment of Pat McQuaid as UCI President, I think he probably needs to engage in a bit of PR to firm up his popularity with the cycling public and convince us he isnt one of those faceless UCI cronies that come up with one stupid decision after another. Pat, here are some suggestions:

1. Reinstate the Kilo and the women's 500 tt immediately. BMX is a good sport, but it's perceived as a kids sport and doesn't deserve to be in the Olympics, especially at the expense of those two events - put your name all over the decision and watch your popularity escalate, particularly in the English speaking world - where the potential for the economic and popular growth of cycling as an international sport is greatest. I don't think you'll get too many opposing you in China either, seeing as the women's 500 is the only event they are going to get within a bull's roar of a medal in.

2. Realise that it's 2005 and not 1969 and reinstate the absolute hour record (Boardman) as the standard and re invigorate the interest in technological advancement.

3. Realise that pursuing Lance Armstrong will only destroy the broader popularity of cycling. Stop calling for more independent enquiries into the affair. The test has been discredited, the motive for the release of the alleged result in questionable at best.

The worst possible outcome for cycling is for the most popular cyclist in history - because he reaches out to the broader public through his philanthropy and community activities - is for him to be slandered more than he has been. Those passionate about cycling like everyone that reads here will be fans regardless, but many on the fringe will turn away. I wonder if the Museeuw affair will get the press that Armstrong has - he is also retired, and also a former world champion, but he is European.

4. Realise the many of your colleagues in the UCI are out of touch, clueless and living in the past. Set an agenda of change and consultation. Or are you just one of them? Over to you Pat.

Tony Unicomb

Australia
Tuesday, October 4, 2005

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Comment on Chris Horner at Zuri Metzgete

It was a cold, wet, and no doubt miserable "day at the office" for the field in the "Zurich Massacre" on Sunday, and sadly the turnout of locals to "hup-hup-hup" the peloton and ring cowbells wasn't typical of past races. The change in the race date from the end of August to a month later predictably led to a change in the weather. Instead of sunshine and sunflowers, Zurich presented temperatures in the 40s and a soaking rain.

We live about a block from the top of the hill that Cyclingnews commentators refer to as "Forch," and every year we watch the race on Swiss TV until we see the riders heading up through the forest by the pond called "Rumensee." Then we head out our door and lope down the street with our American flag and camera to watch the heroes ride by. Having ridden that hill more than once myself, and been glad to get up to as much as 15km/h, I am always amazed at how the "boys" can do it five times at twice that speed or more.

Usually the riders come by in a blur of colour and a whine of tyres which give one a vague idea of what an old fashioned cavalry charge might have been like. Every once in a while, a bottle is tossed, and my little boy has managed to collect a yellow Mercato-Uno and a black and white CSC, although being an American, he has always hoped for a Postal bottle (now Discovery, of course.) We not sure how American riders feel when they see a bunch of goofy expatriates waving and shouting and shaking "Old Glory," but we hope it distracts them a bit from their suffering.

The point of this letter, however, is to tell Chris Horner (and other readers) what a thrill it was actually to have had an acknowledgement, however fleeting. On the last circuit of the race, about 1655, we dutifully filed down our street for the fifth time to watch the final passage. Bettini came by, wearing his gold helmet, surrounded by motorcycles, backed up by support cars, with a three-minute lead. Then came the chasers, three or four or five or seven, spaced out in twos and threes. Then came a larger group. Then another. We shouted "GO GO GO!" and "COURAGE!" and "YAY!" and my little five year old American daughter even squeaked "Hup-Hup-Hup" like the few Swiss who'd ventured out in the wet greyness, abandoning their fireplaces for a few minutes as dusk began to suggest itself. Finally, after a long pause, about 10 or 11 riders struggled up the hill, and knowing they were the pelotonic equivalent of a "Forlorn Hope," we tried to cheer them up. "Hang On! It's almost over!" we cried.

Then came our thrill! The lead rider in this last group, in soggy Saunier Duval yellow, with all of the grime of 215km of wet road racing splattered all over, and facing about 35 more kilometres of grief, and one more beastly hill (Pfannenstiel), turned his head to the right, looked over at us, smiled bleakly. "Almost," he grunted. There it was. A brief glimpse of humanity. The man who had won Stage 6 in the Tour de Suisse, despite his misery yesterday, managed what seemed like the equivalent of a wink and nod to some of his compatriots. It was a really nice gesture, and my little boy would rather have heard that "Almost!" than to have gotten yet another team water bottle.

So thanks, Chris Horner. Even in the Grupetto, you still know how to be a hero.

Sincerely,

Thomas Salmon (and family)

Zumikon, Switzerland
Monday, October 3, 2005

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Scientific proof

Well gee! If scientists are like people then I guess athletes are too, and have egos, agendas and are simply not quite up to snuff. I can tell you first hand as I am a personal trainer and have worked with and know a lot of athletes and pros for over 20 years.

I also know that many of them who have appeared in nationally syndicated magazines have vehemently denied ever using banned substances and strongly discourage there use, and are strong advocates of the focused training work ethic. I also know that what you see and what you get is not the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Bodybuilders do it, cyclists do it, even educated Olympians do it, let's do it, lets all get (Arm)strong.

As anyone who knows about this stuff can tell you it will not make me and about 95% of the general population into any kind of a world class competitor; that takes super serious hard work, devotion and genetics. It will improve what you've got by a small percentage and depending on what you take help your recuperation. So if you don't have much to begin with, you're still going to get creamed and be out some money to boot. It's because of that fact that a lot of athletes use it to rationalize their taking it. They are super elite athletes at the top of their game to begin with (with or without chemistry) and are not taking it to beat you and me but are indeed trying to get a 2% or 3% advantage on a competitor who is trying to do the same thing.

In a sense it's a level playing field, they try it by spending millions in R&D, diet, training, bicycles, components, clothing, helmets etc. In the end if all goes well they make many more millions of dollars, worldwide notoriety and immortality.

I know of women who've taken male hormones and done irreversible damage to themselves and of young guys that take it to look buff during spring break or guys that have spent thousands on HGH to win a $15.00 trophy at a local bodybuilding show. I know cops that take it, construction workers, and other plain ordinary (insecure) people just to look good. So why does it freak people out when someone who's intensely dedicated his life to maybe winning a Tour a World Cup or gold medal gets busted. Barry Bonds, Ben Johnson, Tim Montgomery, Marco Pantani, Richard Virenque , David Millar, are just a few of hundreds of elite athletes who've been caught, but that's not to say that thousands have not indulged, there are lots of sophisticated performance drugs that are non-testable as well as masking agents.

As to whether or not LA did, I don't know Lance Armstrong. Make no mistake about it he's an incredible athlete as are about 50 or more other riders, but my gut feeling is that it's a level playing field and if he's not taken it then no one has and vice versa. One thing is for sure it seems every year around Tour time there seems to be a bust of some kind where a stash of EPO and steroids are found, I guess there's a market for it huh? In the words of Fausto Coppi when asked if they took drugs in his time" not if, but what kinds"

Walter Lindsay
Saturday, October 1, 2005

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Thank goodness Moreno lost

I could not believe my eyes when I read what former UCI presidential candidate Gregorio Moreno said about the ProTour and particularly its first champion, Danilo Di Luca;

"For example, I would create specialty classifications: the best of the Grand Tours, the best of the classics... That would be better than to mix them all, because the result is that Di Luca, the first winner [of the ProTour] hasn't raced the Tour."

Is Moreno really saying he believes the season-long champion has to ride in one particular race, the Tour de France, to deserve the title? The Tour is already the 800-pound gorilla of the calendar, and the ProTour points are weighted in its favor over the other Grand Tours. Isn't that enough for Moreno? Winning a championship that is decided over the course of eight months requires consistency and stamina.

An ideal champion would show strength in both one-day and stage races, which Di Luca has done. In fact, while most riders who excel in the classics ride the Grand Tours in search of only stage wins and perhaps the sprinter's jersey, Di Luca took a shot at the general classification of the Giro d'Italia and finished fourth. There may be problems with the ProTour, but having a winner who did not ride in the Tour de France is not one of them. I am so relieved that Gregorio Moreno lost the election for UCI president!

David Johnsen

Chicago, IL, USA
Wednesday, October 5, 2005

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What has happened to American Cycling?

Interesting race, the World's. I can't think of any other sport (baseball, American-Canadian-European-Australian football, basketball, hockey, soccer, cricket, badminton, table tennis, skiing, Ididerod, Ironman, decathlon, your favorite here) where you don't have to qualify through a series of eliminations in order to make it to the finals.

Somehow, the World's have acquired a mystique and prestige far beyond the actual status. It's a one day race, but so are Paris-Tours, Roubaix, San Remo, and so on. It's harder riding with a pick-up team than a sponsored team, sort of an All-Star game, but it's just cycling. Di Luca's jersey is certainly more prestigious in my eyes than the World's rainbow because at least he rode more than one race on more than one day to acquire the points to win it. As for national pride, riding with your "buddies" ain't quite the same, say, as winning the World Cup in soccer. The Cup finals only occurs every four years, and you can be eliminated pretty early in that four year cycle regardless of how well you play after you're eliminated.

Gary E Hughes,
Friday, September 30, 2005

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What has happened to American Cycling? #2

John,

I admire the fact that you want America to win. There are some things you need to realise. You mention a list of stage racers, minus George. They do not focus on one day racing which is very different. All the riders you mentioned were on the team and declined to go because THEY know the difference. Also many of these riders are tired at this point of the year and do not want to go to a race like worlds.

It is better to have a rider that has desire rather than all the fitness needed to succeed. I think Saul did a great job. It was a little suicidal but enabled the team to wait for the key moment and not to have to chase moves all day. I think a team of Freddie, Chris, John, George, Saul, and Jason can do well. Chris and John know how to win and want to win any race they line up at. Freddie and George are capable of big results. Jason and Saul are younger need the experience of world and are not specialized to stage racing yet. And in truth Freddie and Trenti were there at the point the selection was made. Trenti was in the top 25 I believe. So all the things we needed to do were there for success.

The reality is until we have several Pro Tour teams with international rosters, we can't compete. The truth is many riders are more loyal to trade team before country. They help the chase here or the break there despite what they can do for themselves. Or the other option is that we stop the TOUR centric cycling focus and start winning classics and then we would produce riders more like Boonen and George and less like Lance and Indurain.

Joe Coddington

Asheville , NC
Friday, September 30, 2005

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Pound versus Armstrong, Hamilton, etc

Dear Cyclingnews

With all the controversy surrounding Lance Armstrong people seem to have forgotten Tyler Hamilton's case - Dick Pound has come under fire for his statements about Lance but not so much in the Hamilton case - when he made assumptions about Lance, the vice president of WADA criticized him and said that he spoke too soon but when he commented that Hamilton was guilty before Tyler even had his day in court nobody said anything.

Even the president of the IOC said that Tyler's "whole career should be called into question" before he had his case heard - then there were multiple testing protocols that were broken - the testers knew the identity of the person's blood that they were testing and they had a vested interest in the test because they developed the test. Then there was the fact that the results of Tyler's A sample were leaked to the press before the B sample could be tested - and on top of all of this there is a general consensus that the test was brought to use before it was ready. What is the difference of using a shady blood test or a shady EPO test?

To me it is the person being tested - Lance gets the benefit of the doubt from everyone where as Tyler is labelled a "cheat"- Pound contradicts what top scientists have found, one of which was a scientist WADA asked to peer review the homologous blood doping test - If WADA had used the 5% mixed blood population threshold as recommended, Tyler would be racing his bike and this would not be an issue - WADA expects athletes to play by the rules but when it comes to WADA they can do whatever they like. Meanwhile, athletes like Tyler are caught in limbo and have their careers on hold until they can prove their innocence - WADA is on the way to losing all credibility and as long as people like Dick Pound are running these organisations and innocent athletes will continue to be caught in the crosshairs. WADA is not interested in the truth...only their image - to me they don't want to admit that they are using a unsound test(s).

People jump to defend Lance on the basis that he never failed any doping controls in 10 or more years...well, Tyler didn't fail any doping controls in that time either - Just because Lance has won 7 tours doesn't make him more innocent or guilty than anyone else. Dick Pound should be removed from his position at WADA. He is doing nothing but hurting the sport of cycling.

A. Holden

Boone, NC, USA
Monday, October 3, 2005

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French bias

Sean, enjoyed your letter. The doping control agencies do not believe in the idea of innocent until proven guilty. No evidence is required other than one positive test. Are the tests foolproof? Look at the controversy on the effectiveness of the current EPO test. Teams fire riders on the first positive test and penalties are enforced during appeal. Careers are ruined. All normal labour law, at least the US version, is thrown out the window for professional cyclists concerning doping controls and enforcement.

They submit to a control regimen that you probably would consider invasive, unfair, and illegal. I know I do. Most people in the world, even those in sensitive or powerful positions, do not have to submit to this type of substance abuse testing and wouldn't agree to it as a condition of employment. I bet you that the employees of WADA, USADA, and the others are not tested like the athletes. The riders need a strong union and a new doping control agency that has the riders health in mind instead of their own twisted crusade to punish all cheaters.

Pat O'Brien

Sierra Vista, AZ
Friday, September 30, 2005

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Recent letters pages

Letters 2005

• September 30: Petacchi and McEwen's reactions, Ale-Jet, Ale-Jet blasts his critics..., Petacchi's class, Petacchi, Bravo, Lieswyn, French bias, Tom Danielson, What has happened to American Cycling?, Quote of the year, At the heart of the matter, Lance's EPO tests, Doping control, On Pound and the like, Pound Ill informed, Verbruggen is wrong, Doping and apparel
• September 23: A quick thanks, Australian worlds team, Go Mick!, Infighting, Pound Ill informed, WADA mess, Heras and the Giro, Verbruggen is wrong, Chris Sheppard busted for EPO, Explaining increases in performance, Quote of the year, Vuelta rest day observations
• September 16: Vuelta rest day observations, Australian worlds team, Explaining the increases in performance, Debate settled, doping lives on, Samuel Sanchez, Scientific proof, The perfect crime, Another topic please, CYCLINGnews.com, Doping, Illegal motivation, Illegal motivation - another possibility, Lance and the Tour de France, Drug use, Alternate Universe, WADA, Chris Sheppard busted for EPO, Just Do It
• September 9: The debate rages, Bad for cycling, Lance and the Tour de France, EPO Testing and Haematocrit, Doping, Illegal motivation, Lance the Man, Armstrong and doping, Question for Dick Pound..., Land of the Free, home of the Brave, Lance, I have a better idea, Where are the results?, Armstrong's Tour comeback, Don't make that mistake, Lance, Response to the test
• September 2: Lance Armstrong, all-American boy, Doping, Claude Droussent lies, L'Equipe credibility, Lance versus Jan, Jan versus Lance, Cold fusion and Lance, The perfect crime, EPO and the Wink Wink Standard, Germany owed four yellow jerseys?, Lance, cycling and cancer, Lance issues, The whole Lance doping issue, Neither defense nor attack, The test, Land of the Free, home of the Brave, Armstong couldn't come clean, Summarising the Lance situation, Lance's tests, Keep an open mind, Lance and doping, Check results before you wreck yourself, Seeing is believing, L'Equipe and ASO, and Lance, Lance and EPO, Aussie perspective on the upcoming worlds, A rave rather than a rant
• August 26: Lance and LeBlanc, Lance versus France, Can of worms story, The Test, Benoit Salmon wins the 1999 Tour, The perfect crime, Armstrong tests positive, L'Equipe and ASO, Lance rubbish, Lance and the French yellow press, Armstrong, EPO and WADA, Lance Downgrading Armstrong victories, Lance doping garbage, Lance versus Jan, Doping, Six stages to win the 99 tour, EPO test under scrutiny, Lance irony, Lance as a spokesman, Cyclists and politicians, Verbruggen's campaign to elect his successor, John Lieswyn, Can of worms, Americans in Paris
• August 19: Ned Overend, Guidi positive, What is going on at Phonak?, Ullrich's riding style, How about credibility from both sides?, Lieswyn's gesture
• August 12: Pro Tour 2006, Credibility from both sides?, Zabel leaves T-Mobile, Chris Horner, Ullrich's riding style, Well done Wayne!, Armstrong and class, Possible correlations
• August 5: Zabel leaves T-Mobile, Thanks from a survivor, Bicycle safety, Message for Chris Horner, Perspective, Discovery in ninth, Tech, Armstrong and class, The King of July!, Heras through rose colored glasses, Possible correlations
• 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
• Letters Index – The complete index to every letters page on cyclingnews.com