Letters to Cyclingnews - December 15, 2006

Here's your chance to get more involved with Cyclingnews. Comments and criticism on current stories, races, coverage and anything cycling related are welcomed, even pictures if you wish. Letters should be brief (less than 300 words), with the sender clearly identified. They may be edited for space and clarity; please stick to one topic per letter. We will normally include your name and place of residence, but not your email address unless you specify in the message.

Please email your correspondence to letters@cyclingnews.com.

A totally predictable situation?
Armstrong's credibility
Deutschland Tour and Denmark Tour
Back room politics and the IPCT
Holczer and others
Holczer and the Discovery exclusion
Bjarne's ignorance factor #1
Bjarne's ignorance factor #2
Bjarne's ignorance factor #3
Can't we all just get along?
DNA safety
Floyd Landis on Real Sports #1
Floyd Landis on Real Sports #2
Genevieve Jeanson
Mark McGwire
Operación Puerto bungled...deliberately?
Operation Puerto and the UCI

A totally predictable situation?

The situation of doping and the cyclist-team, employer-employee interface is hilariously ironic. Companies don't want cyclists to dope, not because of their health, but because it compromises their ability to generate profits; or so they think. The irony is that all the time cyclists, i.e. individual human beings, lose their rights on behalf of the acquisition of wealth.

All the riders should pose the question back to their sponsors, and see how 'cleanly' they play in their respective domain of business. Are their products safe and sound? How about a carpet company sponsoring a cycling team; are their products responsible for adverse health effects amongst its users via. outgassing of toxic substances? What about the processes of production? The conditions of its workers and the condtitions they're subjected to?

'Cheating', in whatever form within whatever domain is part of 'business as usual' given the type of relationships that are established in this sort of economy-structure. The managers are under pressure from team owners, who are under pressure from market forces etc. and hence the managers and team director and the like don't have the luxury to relate to their team cyclists as human beings that can and will have poor form, injuries, bad luck and the like. It's sickening. Cyclists stand up!

However, it’s important to not disenfranchise those cyclists who are deemed as bad apples. We all respond differently to pressure and the goal is to create a 'system' where to the highest degree possible cyclists are not tempted to feel the need to engage in doping practices. To be continued...

Seth McDonough
Saturday, December 09, 2006

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Armstrong's credibility

It would appear that Armstrong was instrumental in formulating the deal that brought Basso to Discovery. Despite what I've always wanted to believe with regard to drugs and his seven Tour victories I think his relaxed attitude to a rider so closely circumstantially linked to the Puerto problem makes me a little more suspect.

The desire to sign a likely Tour winner regardless of voting in favour of any Code of Ethics, despite the odd bag or two of the guy's blood (allegedly) kicking around a Spanish magistrate's office and choosing to ignore some slightly suspect performances in last year's Giro are not the actions of someone who is committed to improving the sullied reputation of the sport. In fact I would interpret them as the actions of someone who accepts that drugs and pro cycling are synonymous with aspirin and a headache.

In the history of cycling, 2005 was a long time ago and 1999 was the first Ice Age. Hans-Michael Holczer of Gerolsteiner, T-Mobile and Bjarne Riis are orchestrating its future and the way they are choosing to structure their teams around a moral principle is a nobler stance than shoeing-in Basso with a team of lawyers and the support of the greatest ever Tour winner.

Jerry Arron
Bristol, UK
Tuesday, December 12, 2006

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Deutschland Tour and Denmark Tour

Bravo to the IPCT, Tour of Germany and the Tour of Denmark! Finally, I have hope that there is a real stand against the culture of doping in pro cycling! This is the first good news I've read in a long time

Pro riders and race organizers willing to take a stand- that will change the sport. Legal wrangling is just that- an ethically void process; lip service to the real problem.

Johan Bruyneel justifies breaking his word to the IPCT as ‘legal’. I see it as more of the ‘win at all costs’ mentality that belongs in the dumpster with all the doping vials.

Bruyneel's conduct shows that he is willing to skirt the line of ethical conduct and that his word means nothing. That is a man without self-honor, it is a pathetic sight that I hope disappears along with the doping scandals.

Tinkoff follows this same strategy. This is not 1990. This is 2006. No one is turning a blind eye to dopers anymore. The archaic strategies of unethical boys.

Win like cowards or compete as men. This isn't the local playground sandbox. The world is watching, act like men.

J D Moisan
LA, CA
Tuesday, December 12, 2006

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Back room politics and the IPCT

Disturbing developements in my opinion with the IPCT, reminiscent of cigar smoke filled back rooms where careers are made and broken by the managers' politics rather than reality.

From Salzburg there is a decision. No OP implicated rider can be hired by a ProTour team unless they agree to give DNA. Basso is hired by Discovery and all heck breaks lose. It is then revealed that he has agreed to provide DNA if required by a sporting or legal authority. Riis' response to this is that if Basso had agreed to this with him he never would have parted with him.

Now the IPCT this week kicks Disco out of their "august" membership simply for hiring an OP implicated rider, even though they have met the original DNA requirement which is now conveniently forgotten. What about Lampre and Euskatel, do they not have riders that were named in the 50 odd cyclists that have yet to be "officially" cleared?

As Riis obviously did not part with Basso willingly, those who are party to Basso's contract with a new team must be treated accordingly for fear of this status quo being endangered. You saw this system in action when Valverde' and Rujano jumped ship to the ProTour, but the Pro-Tour teams had the muscle to brush the Continental teams aside.

Here there is no such advantage so the IPCT is left with only changing their own rules to kick out a team and hope no one notices the inconsistency of it all.

John Schmalbach
USA
Sunday, December 10, 2006

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Holczer and others

Gerolsteiner team manager, Hans-Michael Holczer, and others are a big part of the big problem with cycling; not a part of the solution.

In reality, what Mr. Holczer should have said is that the IPCT's decision to exclude Discovery Channel is a clear signal that important representatives of cycling are in serious jeopardy of making cycling unbelievable.

As a fan, what is most disgusting to me, or the biggest turn-off to the sport of cycling, is the way in which the atheletes are presumed to be guilty, their names and reputations slandered, their ability to earn a living all but destroyed on the basis of rumor, speculation and sometimes scant circumstantial evidence. This whole situation in cycling reaks to me of the same stench as the Salem Witch Trials. Fortunately, in this case it is careers that are dying and not cyclists hopefully.

Nonetheless, in Salem, if anyone so much as suggested that someone else was a witch, they were presumed guilty unless they could prove themselves innocent. As cyclists have found out, that is a bit difficult - especially if it is impossible to prove as in the case of the witch trials.

Tod
Tuesday, December 12, 2006

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Holczer and the Discovery exclusion

The current lack of professionalism, hypocrisy and political posturing within the “governing” and representative bodies in cycling continues to amaze me. Your coverage of Holczer’s latest remarks on December 12th arrives as another fine example regarding questionable motivations of various people following Ivan Basso’s signing with Discovery Channel.

It is no secret that Basso was approached by other teams before signing with the deserving Discovery unit, and so I’d love to see those people who lost their previous bids on Basso to step up to the plate and express their thoughts regarding this latest & developing Team Discovery boycott fiasco.

Are these same teams now part of the growing forces maneuvering to boycott Discovery from various races or the Pro Tour?

V.S
Tokyo, Japan
Tuesday, December 12, 2006

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Bjarne's ignorance factor #1

Dear Claus

The United States is a country of 300 million people. Please do not make the mistake of projecting the opinions of those who have access to a microphone and a camera to the rest of the citizens of this country. Would I be just in saying that all Danish people disregard Muslim beliefs because of a cartoon in a Danish newspaper?

For a cultural reference point, general sports journalists in the US tend to be sensationalists. With the advent of the internet and cable television many of these people try to say sensational things just to get attention due to a crowded market. For what it is worth, the general consensus in the US is that Mark McGwire should not be voted into the Hall of Fame because of his alleged ties to performance-enhancing drugs.

Most Americans are not tolerant of cheaters. We are also not tolerant of a lack of due process. For myself I look to follow the US pattern of legal process: accusation, trial, conviction or acquittal. Barring this process I feel I am free to have my own opinion (with an admission that it may not be fully informed). I am a fan of cycling and an admirer of Mr. Riis. I am also a fan of Mr. Basso and Mr. Bruyneel. I hope for all of them to have untainted success.

Paul R. Ellsworth
US
Friday, December 8, 2006

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Bjarne's ignorance factor #2

Claus

I appreciate your points and agree that the culture of doping in cycling is sickening on many levels.

Somehow you seem to conclude that, because Basso has signed with an American team, American culture condones the practice of doping. I believe you are wrong. As an American, I do not condone the use of illegal drugs to achieve athletic perfection. I also believe this is in line with the broader American conscience.

So to answer your question, no, children in America are not taught that doping will grant you fame, prestige, and legacy. I think that Americans (and trust me, I am very critical of my own country) tend to be extremely hard working, focused and ethical people. I encourage you to get to know more of us, maybe you will learn that we're not all that different.

I should add that one of the key beauties - and differentiators with the majority of European culture - of the American ethic is the notion of due process. People here are not considered guilty until proven so. This becomes complicated with drugs such as EPO, that are so hard to detect. Nonetheless, speculation is no grounds for prosecution.

Ryan Bennett
San Francisco, CA
Friday, December 8, 2006

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Bjarne's ignorance factor #3

Claus,

One commentator's viewpoint does not define the viewpoint of the masses in the US, nor does it typify the American way of teaching young athletes. I don't know who the commentator was that you saw, but I'd say he's a careless idiot to make such a statement, and he must not have any kids of his own.

I competed in baseball, football, and wrestling from the age of five through high school and I never had even the faintest notion of enhancing my performance with an illegal supplement or drug. This is probably because I was so damn good already, but I digress (not!).

I do agree with you though, that if an athlete like Mark McGwire is admitted to the Hall of Fame, in spite of heavy evidence that he used steroids during his career, then we are sending a terrible message to our young American athletes about what it takes to achieve that kind of success. That would apply no matter where such an athlete lived and competed of course, not just in the US.

Turning our attention back to cycling, I don't have the statistics to prove it, but I think that most of the cyclists that have been nailed for doping have been non-US citizens, so your focus on the US as the epicenter of worldwide doping apathy is probably a bit misguided. Operation Puerto, right? Was that Puerto Americano? Don't think so.

Regards,

Chuck Curtiss
Dallas, TX
Thursday, December 14, 2006

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Can't we all just get along?

Seriously, why do our European brothers feel it to be necessary to bash the stereotypical American attitude, which is in fact the minority opinion here in the US.

To an extent I agree with Mr. Madsen, American sports are woefully inadequate when it comes down to doping control. But let me ask one question, what motivation do they have to enforce it?

Do cyclists really think that the UCI voluntarily agreed to the doping restrictions that we have now? If you believe that, I've got a large bridge in Brooklyn that I'd like to sell you.

The only reason cycling has the regulations that it does, is because it is an Olympic sport, and therefore is under the control of WADA and the IOC. The UCI was actually one of the last professional sports to sign on to the current protocol, established by WADA and the IOC.

What ever your belief or opinion, this is an international issue, and not restricted to anyone country, or sport. We have to work together!

JK
Tuesday, December 12, 2006

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DNA safety

A rider controlled body should keep a non-electronic copy of each riders DNA. WADA then could present copies of DNA provided to come from doping, such as the Operacion Puerto. A third party DNA expert could examine the two together at a rider controlled location. If no match, no copy of the rider DNA would be released. If a match then the evidence would need to be released to the appropriate body.

Besides keeping the riders DNA under their control, it would keep WADA or its labs from being accused of faking DNA results to match a riders DNA. What they do no have, they can not misuse.

WADA, in my opinion needs to clean up its act as much or more then the riders. If the police look to be incompetent, then the charges they make will never be trusted.

Robert Mosher
Haslett MI
Wednesday, December 13, 2006

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Floyd Landis on Real Sports #1

I, too, saw this interview but I actually trust in Floyd's answers. I believe him when he says that the "thought has crossed his mind" but he's never felt pressured.

He says he has heard speculation of doping but has never seen anybody doping. Why is this so hard to believe? It's not like the dopers are going to do so in the middle of the peloton. They would almost certainly be doing this behind closed doors.

This man has had his entire life turned upside down and, by his own words, this situation probably helped contributed to the death of a family member. I believe, if he were guilty, he would have given up the fight by now.

I say let his hearings and, if need be, his appeals play out (although I don't think he's going to get fair treatment) and then we all have to live by what final decision is reached.

Amy
Charlotte, N.C.
Friday, December 8, 2006

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Floyd Landis on Real Sports #2

I only saw part of the interview, but it happened to be exactly the part to which you were referring. I had the distinct feeling that Floyd was not being totally honest with his answers, and I came the the conclusion that perhaps the way someone answers a questions is at least as important as the answer itself, and maybe more so.

In my opinion, Floyd does not represent himself very well at all. He seems unsure of his answers, and his facial expressions seem to convey that he is looking for affirmation from the interviewer, rather than conviction in what he is saying. Guilty or not (I strongly feel that he is not guilty), he comes across so weakly that I think it hurts his case.

If I were him, and I had done nothing wrong, there would've been steam comin' outta my ears when Bryant Gumbel questioned the validity of my answers! I'd have laid it out...I didn't dope...the results were tainted and/or deliberately mishandled, the protocols were violated, and no one is taking my TDF title away from me. No other doping related questions are even relevant to my situation.

Have I ever doped or seen other riders dope? Not relevant. Ask me if I took testosterone before my epic stage win and the answer is no.

End of interview.

Mike Bracht, MD
Tucson, AZ
Saturday, December 9, 2006

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Genevieve Jeanson

I and a lot of people don’t have a problem with athletes winning races. Champions are champions. Genevieve Jeanson used to be a great rider and I don’t have a problem with her winning. My problem is with her positive test for EPO, her missed drug test several years back, her high red blood cell count at worlds, and her slap in the wrist by the USADA for what was previously a lifetime ban offence.

Rich Settergren
Duluth, MN, USA
Friday, December 8, 2006

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Mark McGwire

Not that I am a Mark McGwire fan -- geez, I'm not even a baseball fan -- but I must come to his defence regarding his ‘cheating’, particularly considering the current atmosphere of condemning bike riders as cheats before any evidence is even presented.

Mark McGwire did not cheat. He took an anabolic substance that may or may not even be classed as a steroid, but either way it is irrelevant because baseball had not banned ANY performance enhancing substances. McGwire is no more guilty than the cat 3 rider mixing up a protein supplement drink after a race. The same can be said for Barry Bonds, as he broke no rules regardless of whether he used steroids or not.

We can tie this in with the USA cyclists in the 1984 Olympics who were blood-doping their way to gold medals: as this was not a banned practice, and they were simply trying to get an edge over the competition (like a more aerodynamic bike, for instance), they also were not cheating.

Rob Found
Jasper, Can
Friday, December 8, 2006

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Operación Puerto bungled...deliberately?

I don't believe Operación Puerto will result in the banning of anyone, even if the blood samples seized by the Spanish authorities are proved to have come from the accused cyclists. So what! The mere existence of these blood samples (with or without EPO or other drugs) in the possession of Fuentes proves absolutely nothing. Surely an athlete must be detected doping by sanctioned in-competition or out-of-competition testing to be banned.

Instead, it seems the Spanish have broadcast a warning to the dopers that their shenanigans have been discovered. It's hard to believe this happened through sheer incompetence alone. Surely if you really wanted to catch the dopers you would keep quiet until all the suspects were tested under sanctioned conditions. No, I think it was a deliberate!

If the UCI or race organisers try to exclude accused riders or their teams from racing, legal action is bound to result. The whole smelly mess will drag through the courts for years but in the end will come to nothing.

Seems to me the most likely way for blood dopers to be caught is by their own mistakes, like accidentally transfusing someone else's blood, or maybe transfusing their own out-of -competition blood that inadvertantly has a little extra something in it.

Ron Kinang
Brisbane , Queensland, Australia
Wednesday, December 13, 2006

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Operation Puerto and the UCI

I am astounded as to the lack of discussion, not only in this letters section but in the worldwide (sports) media, about the revealing article published in a leading French newspaper last week, associating 4 leading 'premier' soccer clubs in Spain to the activities and guidance of Dr. Fuentes.

By right, this should be all over the news/common knowledge/publicised to hurt but sorry no, that is just cycling. Soccer does not earn enough money... or is it the money that keeps soccer out of the vicious media frenzy...

I rest my case - cycling is an obvious target.

Dan Sullivan
Chicago
Tuesday, December 12, 2006

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Recent letters pages

Letters 2006

• December 8: Genevieve Jeanson, Floyd Landis on Real Sports, Deutschland Tour, Bjarne's ignorance factor, USADA does it again, Labs and testing, Astana denied ProTour license, Isaac Gálvez, McQuaid, Question about DNA testing, Le Tour de Langkawi 2007
• December 1: Hamilton, Isaac Gálvez, USADA does it again, Bjarne's ignorance factor, Shorten the Vuelta?, Vuelta short, shorter, shortest, Labs and testing, Ullrich to CSC, Clean up cycling's own house first, Fed up with doping, Strange sponsorships, What about Leipheimer?, French anti-doping laboratory, Basso agrees to DNA testing, Basso to Discovery, What's going on behind the scenes?, Graeme Obree
• November 24: Graeme Obree, What about Leipheimer?, French anti-doping laboratory, Basso agrees to DNA testing, Basso to Discovery, Richard Virenque, UCI are the problem, What's going on behind the scenes?
• November 17: Saiz and Tinkoff, Countdown to the 2007 Tour, Improving the reliability of testing, Basso to Discovery, Cycling and DNA testing, Forgetting Tom Simpson, Operación Puerto and national federations, Refusing DNA testing - an admission of guilt?. Reverse blood doping, Richard Virenque, What's going on behind the scenes?
• November 10: Forgetting Tom Simpson, Tour Route, Basso to Discovery, Cycling and DNA testing, What is DNA testing?, Refusing DNA testing - an admission of guilt?, Jan Ullrich, Operación Puerto and national federations, Reverse blood doping, What's going on behind the scenes?, Comments on McQuaid
• November 3: Tour Route, Return of a real good guy, Cameron Jennings, Future Australian ProTour team, Neil Stephens, 2007 Tour Intro Video Snub, Richard Virenque, Reverse blood doping, Comments on McQuaid, Marc Madiot, Who’s more damaging?, What’s going on behind the scenes?, Wada & Cycling's Governing Body, UCI and Doping, The Pope of Cycling and the Spanish Inquisition, Refusing DNA testing - an admission of guilt?, Put up or shut up!, DNA, its so ‘easy’, DNA Testing In Cycling
• October 27: Tour Route, Fiorenzo Magni, Landis' presentation, Dr, Ayotte is Biased, Operation Puerto, Sample quality assurance protocols, Marc Madiot, Man on a mission, Comments on McQuaid, McQuaid Lunacy, Continental over ProTour, Just a Simple Thank you, Cycling deaths, Ullrich to Discovery, Ivan Basso and CSC, Reverse blood doping, Future Australian ProTour team, Saiz ProTour license,
• October 13: Guilty or not?, Forget about whom?, Innocence and DNA testing, Sporting fraud, Ullrich to Discovery, Landis in the court of public opinion, Women's track events, Cheating redefined, Cycling deaths
• October 6: Guilty or not?, Innocence and DNA testing, Women's track events, Cancellara, Cycling deaths, Is Dick Pound credible?, A load of Grappe?, Cheating defined, Floyd's turbo bottle, T-Mobile
• September 29: Bravo Paolo, T-Mobile, Shortened grand tours, Floyd's turbo bottle, Basso's DNA test refusal, Is Dick Pound credible?, Basso cleared, Natural process possible?, Cycling deaths, Frankie Andreu, Double standards, Cancellara
• September 22: Is Dick Pound credible?, Frankie Andreu, Millar's hollow victory, Cycling deaths, Go Chris, go, Tom's OK, Basso's DNA test refusal, Easier racing?, Floyd's turbo bottle
• September 15: Andreu's admission, Millar's hollow victory, Basso's DNA test refusal, The big ugly open secret, Dick Pound, Discovery's Vuelta double-standard, Doping tests and subjective evaluation, Fitting punishment, Hermida is clean, Floyd Landis' motion to dismiss, Easier racing, Operation Puerto, Thank you Chris Horner, The testosterone test, Mano a mano, Turbo bottle
• September 8: Turbo bottle, Discovery's Vuelta double-standard, Hunger Knock, Basso's DNA test refusal, Eneco, DNA testing, Fitting punishment, Natural process possible?, Operacion Puerto etc , Response to 'No Doping Control is Insane', Stage 17 water consumption, The Testosterone test, The Tour, What's up with Sevilla?, Mano a Mano
• September 1, part 1: The Eneco Tour controversy: Details, Reporting, Eneco vs doping, Time bonuses?, Who was at fault?, One of those things, Discovery behaviour, More barricades, No way for Schumacher to stop, Hard to stop, Officials to blame, The rules, Schumacher amazing, Hincapie's 2nd Place Trophy
• September 1, part 2: Dick Pound, Devil is in the detail, Diane Modahl and Floyd Landis, Dick McQuaid?, Fitting punishment, Floyd Landis and polygraph, Jake to play Lance?, La Vuelta coverage, Natural process still possible, likelihood uncertain, Protour rankings, Hour Record & Tour, Response to 'No Doping Control is Insane', Ullrich's trial by media
• August 25: Eneco Tour, Bring on an Hour Record, Cycling needs a dictator, Diane Modahl and Floyd Landis, Natural process still possible, likelihood uncertain, Response to 'No Doping Control is Insane', Testing procedures must be understood and public, A German Pound?, All winners dope?, Change the things we can, Track the testing, Cycling is not flawed, Defamation lawsuit, Dick Pound, How did the testosterone get there?, Julich: "No one is able to cheat anymore", Floyd Landis, Patrick Lefevere follow-up, Systematic doping? Where is the evidence?, Ullrich's trial by media, Unfair dismissals
• August 18, part 1: Natural process still possible - likelihood uncertain, Denial, Dick Pound, Oscar Pereiro, UCI - ProTour drug solution?, The problem with legalising doping, Changing the rules won't stop cheating, Scandal reduces respect, Blood tests, Corruption, A couple of questions, A couple of questions, A German Pound?, According to WADA: Who isn't doping?, Collect samples every day from everyone, Corruption in the system
• August 18, part 2: Does the dope fit the crime?, Doping and the death of pro cycling, Change the things we can, Doping, Landis, tests, Dufaux?, Floyd, dope, and cycling, Floyd's only way out, It's the jersey, Julich: "No one is able to cheat anymore", Landis affair, Landis and faulty test equipment, Landis and what he leaves behind, Lefevere, Phonak, and cycling's future, Stand by Our Man Landis, Only one positive, How did the testosterone get there?, Patrick Lefevere, Please help with these questions, Case thrown out, Stage 17 bad tactics or dope?, What were the actual results?, Wouldn't it be great, Zero tolerance
• August 11, part 1: Patrick Lefevere, "The media knew before I did", A couple of questions , Distribute the testing, A possible scenario for Landis, A real Tour, Anti-doping transparency, Anyone hear Jack Nicholson?, Are we fighting doping or not?, Bad for cycling - are you kidding?, Best way to deal with doping, Can some one please tell me... , Case thrown out, CIR and T/E tests, Collect samples every day from everyone, Complaining about drugs in cycling, Corruption in the system
• August 11, part 2: Cycling's reputation, Distortions in the Landis case, Does the dope fit the crime?, Doping, Doping in general, Doping, Landis, tests, Doping - the whole sorry mess, Drug testing for cyclists, Drugs & the Tour Down Under, Enough already!, Flawed process?, Only one positive, Unrealistic expectations
• August 11, part 3: Floyd Landis Affair, Floyd, dope, and cycling, Robbie Ventura, Hoping Floyd soon shows HIS evidence, I will prove it, Is this true (and if so, what's its import)?, Landis, Landis and Merckx, Legal black hole, Media circus, Operacion Puerto Victims, Pat McQuaid and doping... , Penalize teams, organizations
• August 11, part 4: Players, Post race reunion, Robbie Ventura, Solutions are there, Stage 17 Bad Tactics or dope?, T-E testing and Oscar Pereiro, Testosterone cheating, Testosterone Gremlins, The "System", doping, and so on, Who do you believe?, Time to level the playing field, UCI - ProTour Drug Solution?, Ullrich, Why process matters, Worse than VDB, Wouldn't it be Great!
• August 4, part 1: I will prove it, Doping, Landis, tests, Why process matters, Robbie Ventura, Rubbish!, Leadership & cleansing, 21st Stage, A few minor thoughts, Stage 17 water consumption, Was it a recovery prep?, Anti-doping transparency, Bad for cycling - are you kidding?, Best way to deal with doping
• August 4, part 2: Case thrown out, Center podium, Collect samples every day from everyone, Complaining about drugs in cycling, Confidence in the testing system, Courage off the bike, Who is Cowboy (2003)?, Crime and punishment, Nothing without the cyclists!, Davis and four others, Does the dope fit the crime?, Doping & money, Doping in cycling, An examination, Drug testing for cyclists, From a fellow pro, In Floyd ..., Do the right thing, Floyd's steroids, Grow Up and Get Real!, Future of testing, Idea for a clean Tour, Landis vs Periero TT, I'm done with cycling, I'm retired as a fan of the pros, Feel like a fool, I'm so disappointed
• August 4, part 3: Team management & doctors, It appears the dope does fit the Crime..., It was the whiskey, It's all a sham, It's everywhere., Nothing is conclusive, Worse than VDB, Cycling needs our support, Of all the tests…, Doesn't add up, Test timing, Players, Legal black hole, B-sample & Marco Pinotti, Landis is guilty of something, Former Phan, Landis Ordeal, Landis Situation, Landis, drugs and cycling, Landis: lab accreditation, The question, Laughingstock, Lawyers in tow, Leaks, Learn from NASCAR, Letter to Editor
• August 4, part 4: Losing hope against the dope..., Mitigating factor, No doping control is insane, One toke over the line, Keystone Cops, Operacion Puerto Victims, Raise the stakes, Something not right, Exhuming McCarthy, Testerone testing, Testing procedure, Landis has been caught, The Jack Daniels defense, The Landis Situation, French testing: a leaky boat, What a positive A sample means, The sieve called doping control, Time to level the playing field, US Perspective, WADA, UCI ruining sport, What about Pereiro?, What's the hold up?, Who's watching the henhouse?
• July 31, part 1: I will prove it, Stop the complaining, Public perception, The process - flawed?, Courage off the bike, Dallas on wheels, Surely not, Sick & insulted, Mitigating factor for Landis, Landis... it is a shame, Landis' abnormal (supernormal) results, Travesty, Who's watching the henhouse?, Could it have been the result of the bonk?, I'm sick of this!, One toke over the line
• July 31, part 2: Why does McQuaid make a bad situation worse, Why does the UCI make a bad situation worse, How one-off testosterone helps, Why risk it? Here's why., Must be natural, Sick of hearing about doping!, Previous reading?, If Landis turns out to be doped, Cycling on trial, All that is gold does not glitter, The science on testosterone, Maybe I am a fool, Loons, Results not yet known, Surely not, Cheated
• July 31, part 3: Who to believe, A slightly inappropriate Landis defence and proposal , Gut feeling, Jaded, Landis, Latest doping allegations, Tired of the system!, Cheating or not, Hard landing for the sport if Landis issue turns sour, Another Landis comment, Why?, Elevated T levels in Landis, Crucified, Floyd Landis, What is happening to cycling?
• July 31, part 4: Testing testosterone, It was the whiskey, Does the dope fit the crime?, Results not yet known, Landis - Say it ain't so!, Doping, Landis, tests, Landis - guilty until proven innocent, T/E ratio and treatment of Floyd Landis, Bad science and a possible solution, Testosterone is a natural substance, Confidence in the testing system
• July 28: Landis - Say it ain't so!, Surely not, The science on testosterone, Results not yet known, Jaded, Leave Landis ALONE!, "Everybody cheats." , Fairness of testing, Crucified, Who to believe?, Landis doping, The A and B test., Why does McQuaid make a bad situation worse?
• July 21, part 2: Legalising doping, Full transparency, Basso and DNA, Doping, lawyers, and Basso, Ullrich's Innocence, Tyler Hamilton, Did Millar come clean, Ullrich's doping plan, Doping and still suffering
• July 21, part 1: Stage 17, 2006 Tour, And the winner is?, Chicken!, Rasmussen not a "team player"?, Enough Lance, Floyd's bad day, Is Discovery really a true U.S. ProTour team?, First-time winners' past records, Kudos to Leblanc, Landis' aero bars, NORBA Nationals, Floyd's not "photogenically challenged", Respect the yellow jersey?, US Nationals, Very unsatisfying
• July 14, part 2: Landis' aero bars, Wide Open Before the Cols- An Average Fan's Predictions, US Nationals, Cipo @ the Tour, And the Winner is?, Boring spots, Disco Boys?, Enough Lance, Is Discovery really a true U.S. ProTour Team?, Kloden by default, Millar's new TT position, Photogenically Challenged Champions, Segregation is not the solution
• July 14, part 1: Legalising doping , Small world, Hamilton's fax, Cheats, Come clean, Simoni, Doping and the double standard, Dopers don't affect love of riding, Greg LeMond, Vino, Lance & LeMond
• July 7, part 2: Legalise it!, Doping, Greg LeMond, Plenty of riders don't dope, What I will do, Phonak, Come clean, Hide & Seek, The Early Signs coming True, Doping and sponsors, Santiago Botero not on the list, An alternative
• July 7, part 1: Are we paying these guys enough? Cardiac hypertrophy and sudden death, A cycling scandal? A sad day for cycling fans, Discovery's team leader, Easier racing won't help, Simoni, Cheats, Vinokourov, An open letter to Ivan Basso, Are we alone?, Sharing the road, Searching for an old book
• June 30, part 1: Easier racing won't help, Communidad Valencia and the ASO, Doping & fans, What a Shame, Sunny side of pro dopers, Tyler Hamilton: how long can he deny, The new "performance" enhancer, Greg LeMond, Armstrong's letter to IOC, Armstrong, L'Équipe, WADA & Pound, A call for one more test
• June 30, part 2: Ullrich and the Tour, Mancebo: The Unsung Hero, Hincapie to lead Disco, Jane Higdon, USA junior development, Voigt vs. Hincapie, Operation Puerto, Where there is smoke, there is fire, Watching the wheels come off, Why only cycling?, UCI request for riders to submit signed statements, UCI leadership questioned by reporters
• June 23: "Next!", Hincapie to lead Disco, USA junior development, Jane Higdon, A call for one more test, Armstrong's letter to IOC, Defending Landis, Doping, The Armstrong/L'Équipe/WADA/Pound affair, Spanish doping allegations, Team consequences, Voigt vs. Hincapie
• June 16: Pound should resign, Now I’m really confused, Vinokourov, Saiz, doping and the TdF, The Spanish operation, Misplaced sympathy, Name the suspects, Spanish doping, Opinions from France, ASO, Simoni vs. Basso, Voigt vs. Hincapie, Jens Voigt vs. George Hincapie, Voigt and Hincapie, Jane Higdon, Jeremy Vennell diary
• June 11: Simoni vs. Basso, Basso and Simoni, Simoni versus Basso, Simoni's smile, Sour grapes Simoni, Sarcastic, disgruntled fan?, Congrats to Jan, Non-round rings, Sport, Voigt and Hincapie, Jens Voigt, Three cheers for Jens Voigt, Jens Voigt vs. George Hincapie, Voigt vs. Hincapie, Thanks to Voigt and Manzano, Champion in countless ways, Chapeau Jens!
• June 9 - Special edition: Vino’s position, Astana-Wurth and the TdF, Vinokourov, Saiz, doping and the TdF, Spanish doping allegations, WADA, Vrijman's findings, That Report, WADA and Armstrong, WADA vs. UCI vs. the riders, WADA's double standard, WADA and Pound missing the point, Pound should resign, A Pound of what?, The role of the AIGCP, The Spanish operation, Botero interview, Say it isn't so, Manolo
• June 2: Simoni versus Basso, Simoni and Basso, Simoni, Simoni's smile, Simoni is a crybaby, Basso and Simoni, Sour grapes Simoni, Gibo Si-MOAN-i, Blood, drugs, cash and corruption, Sickening double standard, Spanish federations' reaction to Saiz, Don't be surprised by drug use, Giro d'Italia, Thanks to Voigt and Manzano, Chapeau Jens!, Jens Voigt, Three cheers for Jens Voigt, Jens Voigt is the man, Voigt 2006 vs Boogerd 1999, Voigt and Hincapie, Discovery’s Giro team, Altitude tents and EPO, Not just name-calling, Say it isn't so, Manolo, Spanish doping allegations, Armstrong and L'Equipe, CSC is a class act, Basso and CSC, Jimenez memories, Markers in drugs, Discovery Channel's Giro performance, Pound should resign, Giro live reporting, Banning of altitude tents, Bettini is consistent
• May 26: Their A-game's at home, The Tour and the TT, Jan's good form, Jan bashing, Congrats to Jan, The diesel, Double or nothing, Ivance Bassostrong, Bravo, Basso!, Discovery Channel's Giro performance, Bettini is consistent, Banning of altitude tents, When disqualification isn't enough, WADA should ban intervals
• May 26 - Special edition: Say it ain't so, Manolo, Say it isn't so, Spanish Federations' reaction to Saiz, The doping scandal to end them all
• May 19: Bettini is consistent, Banning of altitude tents, Hypoxic tents, WADA and altitude tents, Latest WADA crusade, WADA bans another, Congrats to Jan, Criticism of Jan Ullrich, Jan bashing, Jan ready for the Tour, Jan's good form, Armstrong - the New American Idol, The same old Lance, Defeatism in Discovery, Giro reactions, One of Savoldelli's secrets, Rasmussen's time trial position, Riders under helmets, Difference between following and leading, The Tour and the TT, Bruyneel's Giro comments, When disqualification isn't enough
• May 12: Marion Clignet, Bruyneel's Giro comments, Criticism of Jan Ullrich, Jan bashing, Jan's weight, Defeatism in Discovery, Lance talking up Basso, The same old Lance, Rasmussen's time trial position, Giro team time trial, Hincapie in Paris-Roubaix, Riders under helmets
• May 5: Criticism of Jan, Criticism of Ullrich, The Ullrich-bashing bandwagon, Ullrich in 2006, Jan dramas, More Jan dramas, Bruyneel's Giro comments, Team helmets, Volunteering at bike races, Hincapie in Paris-Roubaix
• April 28: Working for the team in Georgia, Ullrich's thick skin, Ullrich and the 2006 Tour, Jan Ullrich racing, Ullrich and THAT wheel, Jan Ullrich, Jan dramas, Paris-Roubaix technology, Hincapie in Paris-Roubaix, Paris-Roubaix controversy, Paris-Roubaix comments, Paris-Roubaix tech, Team helmets
• April 21: Paris-Roubaix final say, Paris-Roubaix controversy, Paris-Roubaix and technology, George and the fork issue, Quotable quotes, Cycling technology, Behaving like a champion, Paris-Roubaix: UCI Code of Ethics
• April 14: Continuing to behave like a champion, No curse of the rainbow jersey, Tom Boonen, Hang in there, Saul, The gods of cycling, Trek and Paris-Roubaix, Looking out for George, Paris-Roubaix and technology, Broken forks and broken dreams, Jan Ullrich, Jan dramas, Disqualifications, So you know, Paris - Roubaix, THAT railway crossing incident, Need for consistency, Paris-Roubaix - poor Cancellara, Paris Roubaix disqualification, Paris-Roubaix: setting a good example, Roubaix disqualification decision, UCI Roubaix disgrace, Paris Roubaix disqualification, Paris Roubaix affair, Paris-Roubaix fiasco, Paris-Roubaix sham, Racing's railroad crossings, George's bike failure, Let them race, Roubaix controversy
• April 12 (Special Paris Roubaix edition): Paris-Roubaix disqualification, Disqualification on the pave, Level crossing in Paris-Roubaix, Rules are rules, Paris-Roubaix, McQuaid's reasoning, Pat McQuaid and train barriers, Railway crossing at Paris-Roubaix, Disqualifications in Paris-Roubaix, Paris-Roubaix crossing, Roubaix controversy, Grade crossings, Railroad crossings, Safety at Paris-Roubaix, Paris-Roubaix sham, Paris-Roubaix safety, Paris-Roubaix rail crossing, Boonen and friends cross the tracks, McQuaid's explanation, Roubaix disqualification decision
• April 7: Hang in there Saul, De Ronde parcours, Edwig van Hooydonk, Discovery’s American riders, Tom Boonen, April fools, Hair care product line, Brave new world, Commonwealth Games time trial, Photo of the year

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