Letters to Cyclingnews - December 2, 2005

Heras - three times lucky

I think Timothy Shame will find that biological samples (urine, for example) are typically stored by laboratories at -80 C or under liquid nitrogen (which boils at -196 C), and that frost-free fridges (as he evidently has at home) are deliberately not used due to the temperature cycling (forgive the pun) required to, wait for it, keep them "frost free". Anyone who's dived into a -80 C fridge, or even an old-fashioned kitchen fridge (-20 C) looking for those samples (or sausages) they put there years ago, will find them as they were although encrusted in ice, as opposed to shrivelled and dehydrated, as Timothy suggests (epo-positive due to desiccated sample theory). Nice try, though.

David Langley

Sydney, Australia
Monday, November 28, 2005

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Heras - three times lucky #2

In response to Timothy (always drug free) Shame; you are missing the point on how athletes take drugs (or at least the organised ones). I am not making any claims about whether or not Armstrong took them but only that you don't take them with a hope that you don't get tested. Passing any test (or at least diminishing the odds of getting tested) are as an important part of the strategy as taking the actual substance.

As De Niro tells the Ray Liotta character in Goodfellas - it’s the idiots who get caught as they don't have things 'organised' i.e. with the police, the lawyers or worst case scenario the guards. In 1999 there wasn't a test so your 'organisation' would not have needed to include steps to ensure passing it. After 2000 there was, and hence your strategy would have changed to take account of the new test.

Of course another tactic is to shout about how drug free you are and how you detest drug takers - one thinks of Carl Lewis specifically...it’s good cover. Although why do you feel the need for your 'middle name'?

Norman Gillan
Friday, November 25, 2005

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The Heras case

This is in reference to the November 27 news piece. The UCI states that, 'The positive results which ensued from it (the urinary EPO test) since its introduction...demonstrate especially the efficiency of these controls'.

Positive results emphatically do not demonstrate the test's efficiency. This is clearly a logical error of Petitio Principii, or simply, begging the question. The test would be shown efficient only if a positive result entailed unequivocal use of EPO. At the present time, a positive result from the urinary EPO test does not demonstrate that unequivocal use.

As such, the UCI statement is not a statement of fact, proving that the urinary test for EPO is reliable and trustworthy. Rather it is a mission statement, asserting the UCI's policy, and is confirmation that at the present time criticism of such a policy will not be heard by the UCI.

Ian Martin

Lincolnshire, UK
Sunday, November 27, 2005

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Another profile in disappointment

OK - so yet again, one of the best and brightest in cycling deals us a huge letdown. Our sport has suffered one more black eye in a long and agonising series. Whether or not Heras appeals and is found guilty or innocent, the result of the "B" sample is what will be remembered. I gave up on my illusions about the integrity and moral strength of many riders long ago, but it is still like a punch in the stomach every time more bad news is announced. I really wonder what kind of colossal arrogance and stupidity it must take for these riders to continue to flaunt the rules, even when it is so well recognised that testing takes place on a regular basis.

If you are leading in a Grand Tour, you get tested every #$*@ing day! How could one even consider doping? I can't say if Heras did actually dope, but I'd be willing to bet that the doctors in the lab take a great deal of pride in their work and don't want to do shoddy or incomplete work. Say what you will, but these people are professionals too, and I would think that it takes a great deal of integrity and courage to put the stamp of guilty on the record of a national hero. They know that they are going to be put under a microscope pending their release of information, but Heras knew that he'd be under a microscope, too. Is the test flawed? I'm not a scientist and can't say. I doubt that the doctors that carried out the test are flawed though, so just exactly who are we to believe - the lawyers?

Theron Colucci

Lawrenceville, GA
Friday, November 25, 2005

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SFGP - Bring it back!

I was greatly disappointed to hear of the cancellation of next year's Barclay's Global Investors Grand Prix. During the past several years, I have attended the race as a spectator and a host, entertaining clients and potential corporate sponsors. There are a limited number of great races with rich tradition in the United States and San Francisco was well on its way to joining this elite group...clearly there is a lot of 'politics' at play between the Mayor's office and Board of Supervisors, but nobody is disputing the basic facts:

An independent study commissioned by the Convention & Visitors Bureau estimated that the 2005 race generated more than US$10 million in economic benefits to local business and as much as US$430 000 in taxes for the city.

The City negotiated a deal with the organizers in April of 2005 that included 40% of the event's profits (but no liability for losses?!?!) in exchange for discounting fees for police services 50% for every dollar collected in taxes. Wow! What a deal! Where can I go to get 40% of the profits, no risk of losses and a guarantee that costs will be half of income?

One of the major complaints cited by some Supervisors was an unpaid bill for police services from the 2004 race. However, the Mayor's office has indicated the revised bill for 90K USD was only sent one business day before last week's hearing. It is disingenuous to claim the organizers haven’t paid a 2004 bill when they only received it yesterday! Since 2001, San Francisco cycling has paid the city more than US$1.5 million for police services - that hardly sounds like "a bad actor that has repeatedly refused to pay its bills" (Peskin).

Various sources have estimated that between 100,000and 500,000 spectators watch the race every year.

The sport of cycling needs world class events like the SFGP if it is going to compete in the sporting and entertainment sector against more ‘mainstream’ sports. If you live in San Francisco, urge your supervisors to focus on the basic facts and economic benefits the race clearly brings to the city.

PS - You can suggest they save the aggression for attacking the Taylor Street hills and why the disparaging remarks about Topeka? I thought San Francisco was all about tolerance?

Paul Drees

Avondale, PA
Tuesday, November 29, 2005

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San Francisco Grand Prix

This is a copy of what I sent to the San Francisco Chronicle and the San Francisco Examiner on 11/27/05

Please bring the Grand Prix Back to San Francisco.

As a cycling fan since the 1970's when most Americans did not know what a peloton was or the strategy behind bike races, I was most disappointed to find out that the race organisers felt they had no choice but to cancel the 2006 Grand Prix in San Francisco. I have been a volunteer for the event for the past four years. Each of those years, family members came from out-of-state. We stayed in SF hotels, ate at restaurants and honestly spent quite a bit of money considering we could have just as easily driven home - only 35 miles from SF.

The Grand Prix put San Francisco on the map in yet another dimension ­ showcasing the great city that it is in terms of being possibly the most difficult bike race in America. Yes, it is very expensive to run such a world class event. A professional bike race does not generate revenue from ticket sales or entry fees of thousands (such as Bay to Breakers).

Cycling as a sport has grown so much in this country with American athletes like Lance Armstrong (seven-time Tour de France winner) and our own champion, Levi Leipheimer (who lives in Santa Rosa).

I hope the City of San Francisco and the supervisors will take another look at the value of such an event and realize that there are thousands of bike racing fans just as there are Giants and 49er fans. Please bring the Grand Prix back to San Francisco.

Cyndi Niendorf

Petaluma, CA
Monday, November 28, 2005

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San Francisco GP

Dear Editor,

I would like to add my response to news of the demise of the San Francisco Grand Prix in the hope that the city realises its loss. I am a British tourist who deliberately called in on San Francisco for a few days, partly to take the race in before moving on for the rest of my holiday. I thought the city and the event were fantastic but the news of the event's demise has saddened me. I had thought about returning to watch the race again.

I hope the city reconsiders its position and realises what a tourist attraction the race actually is.

Andrew Woolf

Nottingham, UK
Friday, November 25, 2005

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Tyler Hamilton

This is exactly right - the politics of power take the stage with equal billing to the science. It's OK for these doctors to identify and police rider behaviour while violating the codes of their own organisation and profession? Hamilton may or may not be guilty, but the doctor who divulged these things is cheating and subverting what passes for due process in this circus. The UCI is a predatory political zoo, WADA is run by a demagogue, their affiliates and partners are as guilty by implication in their systems as is any rider. It takes a clean organisation to run a clean testing programme, one would think; it takes an organisation that doesn't practice cheating and manipulation to be credible enough to enforce one.

Mark Jenkins

Portland, Oregon
Thursday, December 1, 2005

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Chasing an inevitable high

Dear Cyclingnews,

The concept of pushing further and harder and deeper than ever isn’t for nothing is it? It’s for a high, an endorphin high: a release of serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine. Granted this comes with a sense of accomplishment (especially if one feels victorious). So add some adrenalin and for the men reading this, elevated testosterone levels for a period of time. The recent news of those involved in the Marco Pantani case brings up yet again the memory of a man which should be instrumental in every cyclist's life. Whether we like it or not our sport gives us a high just like a drug and pharmacologically a high very similar to cocaine. Marco Pantani is one of the greatest cyclists of all time and he fell to an addiction he held long before his first line of cocaine. Let us remember him as the champion he was and heed him as warning of what can come from getting lost in chasing a high; no matter what kind.

Konrad LeBas

Stratford, CT, USA
Tuesday, November 29, 2005

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Circumstantial evidence

As another reader pointed out, Heras's TdF/Vuelta performances were too much of a night/day contrast that he was sure to be scrutinized, especially when a rider like Basso does the Giro/TdeF with very similar results. I would think that at the level of fitness these riders have in July/August, any gains in fitness through just training would be very incremental, seconds as opposed to several minutes in a TT for example, whereas training with chemicals, you’re winning mountain stages instead of coming in 36min down.

K LaFleur

USA
Tuesday, November 29, 2005

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The burden of proof

Laurel Stephenson's statement on the Tyler Hamilton blood doping question that "if the test was conducted correctly, then the antigens showing a 'mixed population' would be the same on all the tests; regardless of the percentage" is not accurate. If Hamilton had had a further transfusion between Athens and the Vuelta from a different blood donor, then there would be new antigens present in the later test. There is also the question that the only source for the changing antigens issue is Hamilton's website.
Further, Timothy Shame states that it doesn't make sense that Lance Armstrong would need erythropoietin to win the tour in 1999 but not need any drugs to win subsequent tours. This is based on the belief that the athlete that tests clean is not doping. We know that this may not always be the case eg David Millar and Raimondo Rumsas (at least in the 2002 Tour). If Armstrong were using Epo but changed to micro-dosing from 2000, he would test negative subsequently even though he was doping. Also, athletes may be using substances that are performance enhancing but cannot yet be tested for, eg, growth hormone. Mr Shame may well believe in Armstrong's innocence but the argument that he tested negative many times is certainly not any proof of anything.

Dr Pat Charles

Melbourne, Australia.
Monday, November 28, 2005

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Global Doping

Well, I admit to being part of the largest doping scandal on the planet. I've stood by and believed in the protestations of innocence by Tyler, Roberto and, dare I say it, Lance (gasp), only to have evidence to the contrary thrown back in my face. Yes, I am part of the ubiquitous doping problem by virtue of being one of the biggest dopes to ever believe that cycling is basically a clean sport. I've been a bigger dope than Virenque, and a bigger dope than Rumsas. I suppose the only solace I can find is that I'll never be as big a dope as Vandenbrook. That is surely a podium place I must reserve for him. From now on, I will suspect first and cheer later. Pity.

Mitch Delmar

New Jersey, USA
Saturday, November 26, 2005

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Graeme Obree

I wanted to encourage cycling fans to read Graeme Obree's story (which is now for the first time available in the United States). As a cycling fan, I pushed hard to encourage book houses to import this little known classic. Very few people may know of Obree, save for us track specialists and hour enthusiasts. But this book does prove two things with much more heart and soul than 'Rocky' or similar sports stories.

First and foremost, that motivation and guts can make you faster than even the Lotus-equipped superstars. Second, that winning medals and shattering world records does not lead to some ultimate level of unending happiness and contentment. Graeme has such a fond memory of the sound of the pistol which rang out at the point when he broke Moser's record. There is the suffering most athletes have never tasted, having ridden past the point of physical safety. Graeme literally had blood in his lungs after pushing beyond the limit to take the world champion pursuit, setting another world record as well. This is a man the UCI wanted to hunt down for his unusual bike and positions (the 'Superman' and the tuck or 'Praying Mantis'). Graeme has my respect and admiration.

Timothy Shame

USA
Thursday, December 1, 2005

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Moron or marketing genius

I think it is unfair to the general public and their intellect to state they will be apathetic towards the '06 Tour because Lance is not there. I began watching the Tour during Lemond's time and I did not lose interest when he retired because cycling is a fascinating, complex sport. Trying to learn the various nuances of attacks and counter attacks, team and individual tactics, weather and road conditions, etc. is enough to keep me tuned in post-Lemond, post-Armstrong and post-anyone else. I have become fans of a variety of cyclists both American and foreign. I have got up off my butt to see how difficult it is to ride 100+ miles. I watch because the SPORT is amazing. I will continue to watch and I am betting millions of others will as well.

Jacki Strack
Thursday, December 1, 2005

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Exciting again

Andy Galloway's letter was just about the best summation of the Lance Armstrong fiasco I have read. I hope Lance gets to read it; it would make him feel good, I'm sure. And more strength to SBS, they made my 69th year an absolute delight, although I thought I might die from lack of sleep after three weeks. And why is Cadel Evans being virtually ignored, when he finished eighth overall without virtually any team support? Anyway, that's my lot; it’s my first response to Cyclingnews - where would I be without you!

Don Thompson,

Geelong, Australia
Saturday, November 26, 2005

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Recent letters pages

Letters 2005

• November 25: San Francisco GP, San Fran Grand Prix, San Fran GP, San Francisco city supervisor responds, A tale of two cities, Tyler Hamilton - UCI leaks, Wire in the blood part II, Tyler Hamilton, Hamilton wait time, Heras - three times lucky?, What is the UCI doing?, Exciting again, Le Tour will live on without Armstrong, Moron or marketing genius, A modest proposal, Weekend club racing world championships
• November 18: Heras - three times lucky?, What is the UCI doing?, Exciting again, 2006 Tour de France, Positive urine EPO tests, Le Tour will live on without Armstrong, LeBlanc's Tour snub of Armstrong, Tour of Southland, Schlimmer response, Exercise-induced asthma
• November 11: LeBlanc's Tour snub of Armstrong, Exciting again, Le Tour will live on without Armstrong, Armstrong, the TdF, etc, The 2006 Tour de France and Lance, Lance, Le Tour and Ethics, Armstrong snub at Tour presentation, Pro wrestling and cycling, Swimming and Cycling, What TdF?, Fair justice, Another doping letter, Where has common sense gone?, Technology in cycling, Schlimmer
• November 4: LeBlanc's Tour snub of Armstrong, The 2006 Tour de France and Lance, Le Tour de malcontent, Tour de France 2006, What TdF?, Le Tour wounded, Gossip ruins cycling, EPO, Exercise-induced asthma, Dick Pound and soccer, Tour of US, Tour of California, Swimming and Cycling
• October 28: Le Tour de Malcontent, LeBlanc's Tour snub of Armstrong, Caution needed, TdF 2006, Has cycling become a honky tonk sport?, Tristan Hoffman, UN effort to fight doping in sport, UCI ProTour, Cam Jennings, Exercise-induced asthma, Chris Sheppard is a class act, Why?, Crocodile Trophy - worlds' toughest race?
• October 14: Infallible doping tests?, Get on with your life, Doping. What else?, Pound versus Armstrong, Hamilton, etc, L'Equipe forgot - or not, John Lieswyn, Eddy Merckx
• October 7: John Lieswyn, Bravo, Lieswyn, 1999 Tour de France urine samples, Allan Butler, Tyler Hamilton, Doping versus biomechanical enhancements, Doping control, McQuaid's image, Comment on Chris Horner at Zuri Metzgete, Scientific proof, Thank goodness Moreno lost, What has happened to American Cycling?, Pound versus Armstrong, Hamilton, etc, French bias
• 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
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