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Letters to Cyclingnews - May 23, 2007
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.
Letters special edition - The Floyd Landis hearing
With Floyd Landis' arbitration hearing scheduled to conclude today, and the final verdict expected in around two weeks time, the Cyclingnews mailbox has been inundated with letters on all aspects of the Landis case, and the bizarre events surrounding Greg LeMond's testimony last Thursday.
Opinions ranged from humour to despair and anger to resignation, a selection of which are represented in this special letters edition.
Landis case live coverage
LeMond a true champion
Questioning LeMond's motives
LeMond trying to tear down US riders
Saint LeMond
Landis and his character
Landis has made cycling a joke
Landis had his drink spiked?
Landis in a corner
Landis polygraph?
Landis' disclosure of information
The quality of Landis' character
Landis' behaviour
Joe Papp
Landis case live coverage
I only wish that Cyclingnews would run minute by minute updates:
12:23 PM - Landis attorney attacks!
12:25 PM - LNDD Interpreter dropped - French speaking lab tech isolated.
12:35 PM - The 'yellow tie' still looking cool, has most of his legal team around him. Looking over his shoulder for LeMond to attack.
12:40 PM - Suh looks to be a lock for the 'red tie' for most aggressive lawyer.
1:10 PM - Uncle Ron attacks LeMond. Attack immediately responded to by LeMond domestiques.
1:23 PM - LeMond finally attacks Landis. This may be the move of the day. He opens up a gap and we see Landis suffering. Uncle Ron is also suffering and dropping off the back, unable to continue with the Landis group.
1:25 PM - Landis is clearly in trouble. Jacobs starts setting the pace with Landis on his wheel, trying to pull the yellow jersey back into the race.
Jeff Koontz,
Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Thursday, May 17, 2007
LeMond a true champion
Greg LeMond may lack charisma, but now I can never doubt his integrity. He's always been a lot less likeable than Armstrong, but I don't see how anyone can doubt him after what's transpired. That he's the one blowing the whistle instead of walking away like everyone else shows the virtue of his character.
His business will undoubtedly suffer, as will his reputation, but he's willing to sacrifice all of that in order to do the right thing, whatever the consequences. He is going to suffer so much for this, but he's willing to take his licks in order to get his message across to save the sport that he loves, if it isn't already too late for that. Respect.
How to resolve cycling's crisis? Declare a general amnesty, get all of the dirt out from under the rug, figure out how to catch dopers in the future, and then institute a first-time lifetime ban.
Dave Kelly
Friday, May 18, 2007
Questioning LeMond's motives
Although I feel bad for Lemond regarding his revelation that (if true) he had been sexually abused I still question his motives in testifying, he has never been able to deal with anyone surpassing his status as America's Cycling Hero.
Yes, he probably would have won the Tour several more times had he not been injured, but that is beside the point. His sniping at Armstrong brings about some serious motivation questions regarding his involvement in the Landis affair.
And let me ask this: Since LeMond rode and won in an age of fairly obvious drug use by the peloton, why not have him submit to a polygraph regarding his use or non-use of drugs? I feel that LeMond is the pot calling the kettle black.
David Coffing
Camas, Washington, USA
Friday, May 18, 2007
LeMond trying to tear down US riders
I personally am not happy about the phone call to LeMond from the Landis camp. I think this does shed a different light on Landis and his team. So don't get me wrong on this letter. I was just starting out in cycling when LeMond won his first TdF and watched the whole race. I became a huge LeMond fan, and with that, a cycling fanatic. This WAS due, largely to LeMond.
In recent years though, it seems, all LeMond wants to do is tear down US riders. "He said he knew Lance [Armstrong] doped and he said he was sure that I doped because he'd seen results," Landis said. (How and why could LeMond see results? That, in itself is a problem.)
LeMond keeps making comments like this one without any backing. It's one thing if the USADA comes out and says this with backup, but LeMond just keeps spouting them out. I have to agree with Landis that LeMond does misinterpret conversations (and I'm not talking about the one with the manager) and is living a little on the paranoia side of life.
Cycling is in a mess right now. The testing process doesn't appear to be working. Either they test everybody, every day to the full extent or they cut it out all together.
There is nothing worse than disqualifying a rider weeks after the race. If one out of six results come up negative go with the odds. The way it sounds right now, most of the peloton are doping, so where is the advantage? How come we really don't hear about riders doping "after the fact" on other smaller races. There has to be a way to do this.
Armstrong was, from what I've heard, is one of the most tested athletes, yet we are still hearing allegations of him doping. Hell if Armstrong did dope, he should be given an award for pulling off one of the biggest hoaxes ever.
LeMond, pay attention to Eddy Merckx. You do not see him spouting off at all. He states his opinions without trying to pass them off as facts. That is a true champion. Eddy is letting the process (as bad as it is right now) speak
Kevin Pedemonte
Monday, May 21, 2007
Saint LeMond
Anyone can say anything but it is not proof! At least that is what we are to believe if you read the news coming from cycling these days. So why does everyone continue to say that LeMond is a Saint and never, ever used any illegal substances?
That is easy to say when there are no samples left to be tested. I am not saying he is lying but let's not paint him a Saint and crucify everyone else just because he says so.
Forrest
Friday, May 18, 2007
Landis and his character
It is important to focus on the facts and direct evidence in the Floyd Landis arbitration hearing, though recent developments do provide a distraction from that dedication.
Greg LeMond apparently shared very private and sensitive information with Mr. Landis. Regardless of the reason for Greg sharing this information, this information should not have been shared out of respect of basic human dignity. Neither Greg Lemond's character nor his past actions are justification for sharing such private and personal information without explicit permission from Greg.
Floyd Landis obviously shared this information with at least one person, his business manager. Whether or not one believes Floyd, one thing is clear: Floyd's character did not lead him to keep confidential this very sensitive information.
Unfortunately the last two years of sport drug scandals have witnessed any number of instances wherein an athlete's lack of personal character has been revealed through denials and later revelations of truth. Though similar faults in character may be a condition found in the general public more often than we desire, I prefer not to experience it in athletes I admire and support.
Ron Weis
Springfield, MO, USA
Friday, May 18, 2007
Landis has made cycling a joke
It was bad enough that Lance Armstrong took cycling and brought it to the pages of People magazine. Floyd Landis has single handily made US cycling a joke and a sport that clearly shows it has no respect for its elders and no camaraderie. The sport has reached an all time low internationally with excuses like "attempted doping" and now the new "if I am asked for DNA then I will quit."
Whatever. Not to be outdone the US-accused athlete brought the matter to an all time low and to a laughing stock within the major media. Business managers making threatening and prank calls on a very serious and personal and private matter. Floyd himself boasted publicly that things would "come out" that would make LeMond sorry. And then being so childish as to ditch the yellow tie in favor of all the all-black Johnny Cash look on the day LeMond took the stand.
Can you imagine Lebron James disrespecting Patrick Ewin or Michael Jordan like Landis just did to LeMond. Or Alex Rodriguez saying the same about The Babe. It's pathetic and embarrassing that as a long-time cyclist (both racer and fan) my role models and public figures have stooped to this level.
Greg LeMond does have his faults, but everyone needs realize that as an individual he contributed to American cycling more than anyone else, ever. Sure license applications to race went up after Armstrong, but there never would have been any US cycling program were it not for LeMond, and Armstrong et al. benefited from said program tremendously.
I have met Armstrong and LeMond. Floyd, though, had a special place with me as I used to race against him as a mountain biker and vividly recall waiting with him and talking together in the rider tent at the 24 hours of Canaan back in the salad days of 24 hour team mountain bike racing. He was a legend even back then. Today, though, he has shamed himself and his sport and, in my mind, he will never overcome what he has done to himself.
This is a sad and pathetic day for our sport.
Patrick McQuown
Washington, DC, USA
Friday, May 18, 2007
Landis had his drink spiked?
Let us say that we believe Landis did not dope himself, but that his dope tests do contain synthetic testosterone. Then the only logical conclusion is that the dope was administered to him without his knowledge.
Why do businesses sponsor teams? To get publicity. How do you get publicity? By winning races. Landis had a bad day, followed by a brilliant day. Isn't it possible that his teams desire to get the win and get the publicity, that Landis' food, drink, whatever, was spiked without his knowledge by someone on the team?
I don't know why Landis is not pursuing this avenue of defence, if he is innocent of self-doping, this must be the only way it happened.
Brian Booth
Toronto, Canada
Monday, May 21, 2007
Landis in a corner
Floyd has painted himself into a corner. Just like a trapped wild animal, he will stop at nothing to break free. His attack on Greg Lemond and the dragging of Greg's personal past is the lowest of the low.
Scott Black
Andover, MA, USA
Friday, May 18, 2007
Landis polygraph?
I keep wondering why Floyd Landis would not simply take a third party polygraph exam in order to prove to his supporters and doubters that he was indeed drug free during the 2006 Tour de France? The evidence of such an exam may not be admissible in the hearings, but it would be powerful in the court of public opinion if he can pass such a test.
Doug Griffiths
Sunday, May 20, 2007
Landis' disclosure of information
I read with a great sense of disgust at the bizarre turn of events at the Landis arbitration this week. I applaud Greg LeMond's courage and integrity in his advice to Landis to tell the truth and his cautionary advice about the negative power of secrets.
The only way Will Geoghegan could have known about the LeMond secret was to hear it from Landis. Since we know Landis' antipathy toward LeMond, I presume Landis must have at a minimum tacitly given his consent to use the very private information against LeMond in the ridiculous means to intimidate perpetrated through Will Geoghegan.
First, Will Geoghegan should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. His behaviour was disgusting and absolutely reprehensible. Second, the authorities should probe to see if Landis conspired with Geoghegan, and if that fact is established, Floyd, too should be prosecuted for witness tampering.
Finally, Will Geoghegan should have absolutely no place in cycling. He, in my opinion, should be banned from the sport, in all aspects, for life. We do not need to affirm in any way his behaviour by letting him back into the sport. Seems like we have the "blame it on the beer" defence brewing in the backdrop already.
Landis by sharing the very private nature of LeMond's secret showed his contemptuous attitude toward someone who was giving him some valuable advice. It appears to me the contemptuous nature of his attitude carried through to Geoghegan. Floyd you showed me your true colours very publicly yesterday, and those colours were in fact dark and character diminishing for you in my book.
So you fired Will Geoghegan on the spot, big deal; have you renounced his comments and assured us that you had no connection to them, perhaps you will deny any genesis of the intimidation; lets remember, however, at a minimum you disclosed that information to Geoghegan and that was enough for me to understand your true nature.
In my book, the doping offense is the least worrisome issue on your plate.
Douglas D. Penner
Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA
Friday, May 18, 2007
The quality of Landis' character
Starting with the initial allegations of doping by Landis, I made up my mind that he would never have been so stupid as to engage in doping in full knowledge that he would be tested later. It seemed to me that the evil worse than getting caught doping would be exposure to the world as an idiot.
Now that we've seen the character of the men he surrounds himself with (read: Will Geoghegan), I've changed my mind. Now I think that Floyd did, indeed, inject testosterone, and that it worked far beyond his wildest hopes.
It's the classic male brain on testosterone, thinking only about smashing one's opponents so thoroughly they'll never recover. Sorry, Floyd, to judge you by the character of your friends, but they're often a good judge of one's own character.
Tim Hurley
San Francisco, USA
Friday, May 18, 2007
Landis' behaviour
I can hardly believe that story about Greg LeMond and his testimony in the Landis trial. That is one of the most disgusting things I've ever heard in connection with the world of cycling...that they would apparently use something like that against LeMond to keep him quiet. If Landis was in on that, he should be punished by the legal system in addition to being banned from cycling for, say, eight or ten years.
Anders P. Jensen
Nćstved, Denmark
Friday, May 18, 2007
Joe Papp
I'm not trying to be cynical here but if all the performance enhancing drugs that Joe Papp took were really helping him, then he would have shown us a few wins. I guess everybody gets my point here.
JVA
Saturday, May 19, 2007
Recent letters pages
Letters 2007
- May 18: Armstrong can defend himself, Di Brat, Chris Hoy's world kilo record attempt , Hoy in sixty seconds, What ever happened to Iban Mayo?, Hypocrisy of the cycling world, Italian Reactions to Basso, Who's telling the truth?, Basso + Ullrich = Armstrong?, Basso still a legend, Simoni vs Basso, Basso, Landis etc The new mafia?, Landis to ask UCI to boot Pound, Vinokourov to claim second in '05 TdF?, Percentage of pros with asthma, Unibet at Dunkerque
- May 11: An attempt at doping?, Almost as bad as Ullrich, Basso admission, Hats off Basso, Basso still a legend, Basso's attempted plea bargain, Basso and Discovery, Discovery's PR, Basso vs Simoni , Truth and Reconciliation Commission, A means to an end, Hypocrisy of the cycling world, Vinokourov to claim second in '05 TdF? , New Puerto plan, Where is the Puerto money?, Time to start re-stating race results, The morals and math of cycling, Chris Hoy's world kilo record attempt , Unibet at Dunkerque, Davide Rebellin
- May 4: Call that a race?, Reflecting on Schumacher's win, Pose with Landis, at a price, Danielson should leave Discovery, Davide Rebellin, The year of the clean Classics?, Basso and Discovery, Basso this, Landis that, Ullrich the other..., Basso, DNA and whatever else, Basso's DNA, Say it ain't so, Johan, Let's cut them some slack!, Armstrong, head and shoulders above?, Landis, Armstrong vs the Lab, It's not all about the Tour!, Puerto Affair
- April 27: The year of the clean Classics?, David Rebellin, Call that a race?, Reflecting on Schumacher's win, Danielson should leave Discovery, Inspirational O'Grady and those cobbles, L'Equipe does it again!, Tour de France speaks out, The morals and math of cycling, Basso and Puerto, Puerto, part deux, Gilberto, you were right!, Landis, Armstrong vs the Lab, Pose with Landis, at a price?, Taking blood, Gent-Wevelgem and the Kemmelberg, Gent-Wevelgem and water bottles
- April 20: Stuey wins Roubaix, O'Grady Rocks!, An Aussie in Arenberg, Deep-dish carbon versus the cobbles, Gent-Wevelgem and water bottles, Unibet/FdJ/Lotto - Help!, U.S. Open Cycling Championships, Racing in America, Retesting Floyd's B-samples, Taking blood
- April 13: Thoughts on Flanders, Crashes at Gent-Wevelgem, Gent-Wevelgem and water bottles, What about that loose water bottle?, T-Mobile one-two, Popo for the Classics, Racing in America, U.S. Open Cycling Championships, Unibet/FdJ/Lotto - Help!, French hypocrites?, Bjarne Riis, Floyd Landis 'B' sample fiasco, Taking blood, Ullrich DNA match
- April 6: April Fools, Ullrich DNA match, Taking blood, T-Mobile and Puerto, The song remains the same, Ullrich and Hamilton, Tyler Hamilton and flu, Unibet and access into France, Bjarne Riis, Popovych, The death of irony, Armstrong boring?, Ullrich/Armstrong comparisons
- March 30: Basso wind tunnel testing, Bjarne Riis, Riis' response, Drugs in other sports, Dominquez at Redlands, Armstrong boring?, Ullrich/Armstrong comparisons, Popovych - the new Armstrong?, ASO wildcard selections, ASO-UCI split, Boys atop the sport, Cycling at two speeds, Puerto shelved, Tyler Hamilton.
- March 23: Popovych - the new Armstrong?, A few years ago, Tyler Hamilton, Operación Puerto not complete, Puerto shelved, ASO-UCI split, Drugs in other sports, Basso wind tunnel testing, Water bottle and cage sponsorship, Bates' article on Jan Ullrich, Ullrich's retirement, The current state of cycling
- March 16: Don Lefévčre, Lefévčre tries to reinforce omerta, Spring fever, Ullrich's retirement, UCI has no power, Puerto shelved, Who's been taking what?, ProTour a flawed competition?, UCI-Grand Tour organizer dual!, ASO-UCI split, ASO needs to see benefits in ProTour, Sponsorship, drug use and dinosaurs, The current state of cycling, New Pro Cyclist Union, Congratulations to Unibet, Unibet situation, Unibet.com marketing, Tour of California mistake
- March 9: ASO - UCI split, UCI has no power, UCI vs. ASO, UCI vs. the world, ProTour and contracts, The Unibet fiasco: is it that bad?, Unibet and French law, Unibet situation, Pete Bassinger's Iditarod Trail record ride, Bates' article on Jan Ullrich, Ullrich's retirement, Tour of California expenses, Discovery's profile in Europe, Discovery's reasons for pulling sponsorship, Floyd's big ride
- March 2: Ullrich's retirement, Altitude tents and EPO, Home-made altitude tents, Tyler Hamilton and drug testing, The agony of Unibet?, Discovery's reasons for pulling sponsorship, Discovery's world upside down?, Upside down Disco solved, Tour of California mistake, Graeme Brown, Hats off to Dick Pound?, Grand Tours, who really cares?, ProTour and contracts, ProTour vs wildcards, RCS' decision, UCI vs. the world, Floyd's big ride, Asthma everywhere
- February 23: Altitude tents and EPO, Tour of California mistake, Chavanel's training regime, Discovery's reasons for pulling sponsorship, Discovery's world upside down?, Tyler Hamilton and drug testing, Grand Tours, who really cares?, The Unibet fiasco: is it that bad?, A solution to the Unibet situation, UCI and the ASO, UCI vs. the world, Will the fight never end?, Paris Nice and others, Pro Tour and contracts, RCS decision, Hats off to Dick Pound, Armstrong owes Dick Pound nothing, Graeme Brown, Asthma everywhere, The sorry state of pro-cycling
- February 16: T-Mobile, Adam Hanson and doping, Unibet's new jersey, Double standards for Unibet?, RCS decision, A letter to ASO, Hamilton and Tinkov, Discovery Channel, Asthma everywhere, Bart Wellens' comments at the cross worlds, Best moment?, Crowd control at the cross worlds, Doping reconciliation, Get into 'cross racing, Pound still wants answers from Armstrong, The sorry state of pro-cycling
- February 9: Unibet show they won't be put down, Double standards for Unibet?, Unibet's new jersey, Asthma everywhere, Bart Wellens' comments at the Cross Worlds, Crowd control at the Cross Worlds, Jonathan Page's mechanic beaten, Cheers to Bradley Wiggins, Bradley Wiggins' comments, Jaksche lashes out, Get into 'cross racing, Le Tour was created to sell newspapers, The stakes are too high, Doping reconciliation, Best moment of 2006?, Ivan Basso interview, Ullrich's DNA sample, Ullrich to Relax-GAM?, Ullrich partners with sports-clothing company, Still love to ride, My perfect state of mountain biking, A terrible model for cycling
- February 2: The sanctimonious need to be taken out back, Confidentiality of test results, Oscar Pereiro cleared, Cyclo-cross reader poll results, Fairness in Operation Puerto?, Riders' nicknames, Doping reconciliation, Help for Floyd Landis, Museeuw's insults, Sven Nys, The Floyd Fairness Fund, The sorry state of pro-cycling
- January 26: Drug testing methodologies, Museeuw the PR man, Museeuw's insults, Johan Museeuw and Tyler Hamilton, Sven Nys, Conduct in the pro peloton, McQuaid unhappy with Pereiro, Put doping in the correct context, Moreau wins 2006 TDF, Who wins the 2006 Tour now?, Drapac Porsche's exclusion from the TDU, Bike sponsorship, Compact geometry, The Floyd Fairness Fund
- January 19: Drapac-Porsche and the TDU, Bettini to win the Ronde?, Frame geometry, Phil Liggett's recently stated views, Prudhomme's zealotry, 3 cheers for Christian Prudhomme, Deutschland Tour, 3 cheers for Saunier Duval, Dick Pound, Fairness in Operation Puerto?, Do the maths, The Floyd Fairness Fund
- January 12: Dick Pound, Just 'Pound' him, Pound casts doubt on Landis, Pound comments, The Dick and Pat Show, McQuaid starts cultural polemic, Why the Pro Tour model will never work, The Floyd Fairness Fund, Riders' union, Cyclo-cross reader poll results, Danny Clark - an inspiration, Allan Peiper, Do the maths, Peter Van Petegem's secret, Justice and America, Lance in Leadville, Tubeless road tires
- January 5: Danny Clark - an inspiration, Legal standards and cycling, Peter Van Petegem's secret, Lance a no show for Leadville, Cyclo-cross reader poll results, Do the math, A fair trial, Tubeless road tires, Manzano's polygraph test, Blind trust in implicated riders, A terrible state of affairs, Armstrong's credibility - the conspiracy theories, Best ride ever
Letters 2006
- December 29: Lance in Leadville, Leadville Trail 100, Manzano's polygraph test, British Cycling and the Tour de France, Tell me, what's the problem?, "Disco" team?, Presumption of innocence, Landis and the Landaluze case, Landis' defense fund, American culture, Armstrong's credibility, Back room politics and the IPCT
- December 22: Scott Peoples, Hypocrite?, Landis and the Landaluze case, Landis' defense fund, Rumours and innuendo, Bjarne Riis interview, Enough already, Back room politics and the IPCT, Armstrong's credibility, American culture, Bjarne's ignorance factor, Deutschland Tour and Denmark Tour, Operation Puerto and the UCI
- December 15: 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, Can't we all just get along?, DNA safety, Floyd Landis on Real Sports, Genevieve Jeanson, Mark McGwire, Operación Puerto bungled...deliberately?, Operation Puerto and the UCI
- 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
