Letters to Cyclingnews - November 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.

Remembering Jacques Anquetil
Done looking back
Mayo's B sample to get B test
Cross crank
Rider's passport
Blood passports and humanity
Fothen's comments on Bettini
Nathan O'Neill
Sinkewitz
Rasmussen blood values
Sponsorship strangeness
Dick Pound better understood
Bike design originality

Remembering Jacques Anquetil

I enjoy Les Woodland's articles, but his piece on Anquetil and Poulidor repeats some stereotypes and half-truths.

"…Poulidor was adored for not winning anything very much at all."

Poulidor had 189 career victories, including the Vuelta d'Espagne, the Dauphiné Libéré, the Midi Libre, Milan-San Remo, the Fleche Wallonne, GP des Nations, GP de Lugano, Paris-Nice (twice), and seven stages in the Tour de France.

"…on the bike, [Anquetil] did not [do] a stroke more than was needed to win. Miguel Indurain may not have set the world burning and Lance Armstrong may have been predictable, but at least both pulled off spectacular stunts."

True, Anquetil often went only as hard as he needed to in order to win, and he rode defensively in stage races, relying on his superiority in time trials to make the difference. But he was also capable of devastating attacks when the situation called for it, like in the 1966 Liège-Bastogne-Liège. He attacked in the cote de la Bouquette, caught and dropped the early breakaway, and won solo. After the race, Gimondi said, "we all saw Anquetil attack, but there was nothing that we could do."

And, as Woodland knows, Anquetil pulled off what is probably the greatest 'stunt' in modern professional cycling history: the Dauphiné Libéré - Bordeaux-Paris double. The final stage of the Dauphiné ended in Avignon at 5:00 PM: he had barely enough time to get to the start of Bordeaux-Paris, halfway across France, at 1:30 the next morning. Winning either race is an exploit, but he won both decisively, with virtually no sleep between the two.

Geoffrey White
Sunday, November 18, 2007

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Jacques Anquetil #2

The article by Les Woodland brought back memories of a hero of my youth. Les remarks that Jacques Anquetil's relationships with women would need a book. Well, there is a book (in French) and I have it. It's called 'Pour l'Amour de Jacques' written by his daughter Sophie who resembles him so strongly, nobody ever had any doubts she was his daughter.

In today's liberal society, the story is less 'shocking' than it was when it first came out. Anquetil was reputed to be too coldly calculating and detached, but the book shows a very different facet of his character. I believe the story will be retold by someone else in a book (in English) which is due to be published next year.

Liz Cochrane
Malaga, Spain
Sunday, November 18, 2007

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Done looking back

During the Tour, I wrote a letter to Cyclingnews about how disgusted I was to see Eric Zabel at the Tour after admitting to doping years back. Since then, I've completely switched my perspective. The last 30 years (or more) of cycling have been rife with drugs and other performance enhancing substances. I no longer care about the past. Sure, Jan Ulrich won his tour with dope (according to Pevenage), so did Riis (according to Riis). Hundreds of other cyclists won races in the same fashion. I'm done with it. I don't care who doped when and what they won. The only 'proof' we're going to get is talk. Whether it be Frankie Andreu blabbing about something Armstrong said to someone else, Rudy Pevenage on the phone talking about what Jan did or didn't do, or some team staff member 'coming clean', that's all it is: talk.

There can be no urine tests; there can be no blood tests. It's impossible to know. Stop worrying about the past. Let's take the resources we have now, learn from what is happening now and what we KNOW of the past, and make cycling the sport it deserves to be. I love the sport, love watching it, love riding. Forget about the past and enjoy the beautiful chaos that is a Thor Hushovd sprint finish. Marvel at the tactics and brutality of a Bruyneel led Tour de France team. Applaud the brute strength of Stuart O'Grady hammering away from the competition on the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix. Suffer with the bad luck of George Hincapie as another year of perfect preparation goes up in smoke due to a crash. Enjoy the sport of cycling for everything it is.

Jared Willden
Kaysville, UT USA
Mon, November 19, 2007

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Mayo's B sample to get B test

You have got to be kidding me. OK, I know cycling has a doping problem. But this is ridiculous, and seems blatantly representative of the UCI and WADA witch-hunt perspective on this whole mess. Mayo's B sample gets tested not once, but twice, and comes up negative both times, but the UCI isn't satisfied with that, so they're running the sample back to the same lab the A sample was tested in, with hopes of getting the result they want?!?!? AND, to top it all off, they'll do this whole analysis whether or not the rider or his representatives are present?

As much as I am disgusted by the prevalence of doping in the peloton, I am disgusted even more by the tack the UCI and WADA appear to be taking on this - that is to say, decide who you think is doping, and then do whatever it takes to "prove" it. I had my worries about Kasheckin's human rights tack on the legality of dope testing, but I think this is the final straw for me. I would rather the whole testing apparatus fall apart at the seams than have cycling ravaged by organizations with no concern for, well, much of anything besides "catching" dopers.

Honestly, I really do believe that they're quite likely "catching" the right guys, at least a good bit of the time - but the methods by which they're catching them are as shady and despicable as the methods the dopers are using to get away with it - perhaps, nay, probably, even more so.

Joel
Tuesday, November 20, 2007

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Cross crank

It's good to see that Americans don't always win the parochial prize. Klaas Vantournout is as weird and cranky as the ugliest American. His amazement at seeing 100 riders in a Beginner class in Oudenaarde comes off as slightly quaint when seen in a larger context of what is rapidly becoming "world cyclo-cross", as does his slap at Vervecken for travelling to North America, presumably because he's losing his ability to win in Europe. Of course Vervecken's the World Champion in the discipline, but whatever. Vantornout doesn't let that get in his way.

In Portland, Oregon we routinely see 100 beginners and top or approach 100 or nearly in several other classes as well, all the way up the classification ladder. That's in a regional race in a weekly series. It happens every week in Portland, and there are a lot of other cities, races and riders in a lot of other places in North America where 'cross is becoming more and more popular. It's a big continent. Lots of riders. Yes, I understand Belgium is smaller and that 100 is a lot of riders there. That's probably the point, ultimately..

So Vantornout's comments about US Cross never measuring up to European standard and his condescension toward Trebon and Page may be reasonable this year and probably for the next few years, but soon things are likely to be different. Probably before the end of this rider's career there will be routine World Cup/Superprestige podiums by North American male riders. If those series are even able to retain their position and relevance at the forefront in the face of other changes, that is.

While Belgian commentators seem to lack respect for women's' racing in general, it's possible for others to view Katie Compton's dominant wins in Europe as a harbinger of change for world cyclo-cross and a different direction for its globalization. Maybe Compton could even advise Vantornout about how to manage the 'tiring' nature of intercontinental travel.

Mark Jenkins
Portland, Oregon
Wednesday, November 21, 2007

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Rider's passport

Tom Arsenault agrees with employer's drug testing as nothing more than protecting their "investment". I'd point out that "investments" are property held in expectation of a return, and that his state (North Carolina) lost the Civil War over whether people could, in fact, be held as property. Drug testing in the workplace should only be performed where that job directly affects lives. I'd start with the US President and members of Congress.

The original drug testing push in cycling began after Tom Simpson's death, primarily focused on protecting rider's health from their own misapplication of various substances. We've now reached a point where rider's are banned from using helpful medications on the sometimes false premise that it might make them pedal faster.

Perhaps we ought to re-examine exactly which witches we are hunting and why.

Kurt R. Bickel
Reno, NV
Thursday, November 15, 2007

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Rider's passport #2

Donald, I agree with your views on the fact that rules are there for all to see and live by. My only question is however, how would you feel if your employer ran a drug test on you, returned a positive sample, sent it to another lab (or two) that returned opposite findings, only for your employer to say that you weren't clear and he would go back to the first lab to get the correct reading? Are you sure that you wouldn't try taking that to the Humans Rights Commission?

I don't want drug cheats in our sport, but further more I don't want any cheats in our sport. It is OK to have a set of rules for the competitors But lets also have set of rules for (not by) the rule makers. Only then will we start to truly see if the sport can survive.

Peter
Brisbane, Australia
Friday, November 16, 2007

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Blood passports and humanity

"We need more people like Armstrong and fewer like Sinkewitz".... I'm sorry but Lance is not my poster boy for cycling. I will give you one mulligan to modify that statement to say "Jonathan Vaughters"... an American of course :) Passports are not Stalinist; they are a control upon a body of humanity that will do things that are accepted within the larger culture of the sport (not just the profession). When I think of the current state of the sport and endurance sports in general it makes me think of the broader social and psychological issues at hand.

Here's how it is: if employers had a workplace full of drug users they would surely initiate similar tactics.

Cycling is a remarkably difficult sport, when coupled with the often irresponsible nature of humanity we get a situation where perhaps the only path to redemption is a step back in rider 'liberties'.

There needs to be independent monitoring beyond the UCI, and below the ProTour. Otherwise all we are doing is slowly weeding out the foolish ones.

Peter Odegaard
Canada
Friday, November 16, 2007

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Fothen's comments on Bettini

I'm with Marcus Fothen on the question of Bettini being allowed to ride the world championships.

To be worth watching, the field has to comprise riders with credibility.

If they lack credibility then people are less likely to be interested as some people don't want to watch dopes or potential dopes at play, though I agree some people don't seem to mind....bring on Richard Virenque at this point...think of the hours we spent (wasted) watching him....and now he's commentator!!

Bettini didn't sign up and that opens up the question of his credibility, well to me it does.

Bettini wins and that opens up the credibility of the entire event.

It's your choice, race organisers, either give us riders with credibility and we'll watch or give us a smattering of dodgy names and bit by bit our interest will slip away, your event with it.

So well said Markus. Please stand your ground.

John Leitch
Surrey, England
Friday, November 16, 2007

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Nathan O'Neill

Talk of doping is getting totally out of control, consider the drug that Nathan O'Neill was using, one is hard pressed to even compare it to the hard core blood boosting techniques used by so many. Riders are literally risking life and limb, the drug Nathan used is comparable to a trip to a local Cafe (hence its permission in the off season). He is a rider with a very strong consistent results, he has made a comparably small mistake. I hope the powers at be provide a just ruling.

Karl
New York City
Friday, November 16, 2007

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Nathan O'Neill #2

Just one other point to add to Andrew McLoughlin letter is Nathan O'Neill was I believe a few years ago getting treatment for anorexia. Very interesting!

Andrew Dore
Saturday, November 17, 2007

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Nathan O'Neill #3

Too bad for Nathan's family, friends and fans. I have watched and admired him race over the years but now I must ask again; is he just another in the long line of disappointments to the sport. Nathan, you must know what is going into your body, if it's on the banned list, don't take it. I too know what it's like to be big and feel fat. I certainly wouldn't take something designed for obese people. You are the Australian National Time Trial Champion for God sake. You may be a big guy but next time you feel fat, go ride some more and eat less.

Could this be the reason riders like Nathan spend their time on the NRC knowing that many smaller races like Mt Hood and Cascade will probably not have testing? I continue to hold out hope that the top racers are clean but each time I read another story of the fastest guys testing positive it continues to make me wonder.

Tom Scully
Monday, November 19, 2007

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Sinkewitz

Oh Get Real!!!! Have you seen the film 'They shoot horses don't they?' the whole thing is a joke because the pressure comes from the sport directors and the sponsors. Sure there should be no doping, but Sinkewitz is a pawn in the whole affair. There's a great book called 'A Tough Ride' by Paul Kimmage that was published in the mid 1980's and he was laughed at by the whole peloton, because he was clean and useless.

I see no point in blaming the riders when the pressures are commercial. The pressure to win even an easy stage of the Tour de France is so great; I can't image how they can race at that speed day in day out. Your point about the huge sum of money, €700,000 he is making and that he is effectively stealing is spot on. Give the young ones a go and pay the riders less money. I was an amateur and never very good, but I did race for the love of the sport. Give me €100,000 and I'll race tomorrow!!

Mark Rossell
Friday, November 16, 2007

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Rasmussen blood values

What is it with all these apologists for Rasmussen?

Rasmussen was sacked from his team for lying about his whereabouts. He was not sacked for doping and he has not been banned. I too would be sacked by my employers if I lied about something so serious and I suspect many others would be also.

As for the severity of punishment for missing tests, athletes know what the score is. Missing three tests brings a two year ban - no ifs or buts. If the riders don't like the rules, no one is forcing them to stay in the sport.

Huw Watkins
Friday, November 16, 2007

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Rasmussen blood values #2

Hi I'm a Danish fan of the chicken (Michael Rasmussen) and I think its wrong to suspend any rider who hasn't been found guilty in any blood test.

Karen Sigh
Friday, November 16, 2007

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Rasmussen's blood values #3

The issues surrounding Rasmussen's blood values are irrelevant. The fact that a cyclist would go to such extraordinary lengths to hide his whereabouts (on more than one occasion it would seem) from the UCI suggests less than ethical practices were at hand. As far as the hiding of his whereabouts is concerned it would appear that Mr Rasmussen has certainly been shown due process and from my understanding of the penalties involved his actions constitute a breach of anti-doping regulations in the same way that a failed test does. From the report (presented publicly) it would appear that the UCI have been lenient by treating 3 separate "whereabouts" violations as one single offence and Mr Rasmussen should in fact never have been allowed to start the Tour De France.

Please let us not cloud the serious issue of this highly suspicious behaviour with technical discussion about blood values. In the climate of deceit and doubt that currently encircles the sport these actions would seem to have no intention other than providing an opportunity to avoid detection. Through all this questioning about due process I find myself wishing that someone would ask Mr Rasmussen to explain why he intentionally and repeatedly lied. If you wish the system to treat you with dignity and integrity there is much to be said for conducting your own affairs in an honourable manner. Our sport is better of without the likes of Michael Rasmussen, send him packing I say.

Brian Cooke
Gold Coast Australia

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Rasmussen blood values #4

Being a Dane I would like to think, as you, that Rasmussen indeed was clean. However, why would anybody make their Mother in Law send a Letter from Mexico, pretending to be there, if he had nothing to hide. I think his behaviour has been so strange, that it indicates he was doing something; he did not want anybody else to see. Further, team CSC has shown that the hematocrit level for their entire squad was dramatically reduced during the event. And they were riding under the same circumstances as Rasmussen. So all in all, I think he should never have been allowed to start.

Lars
Monday, November 19, 2007

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Sponsorship strangeness

While some of the reason that sponsors are pulling out of pro cycling is due to the negative stigma with guilt by association, i.e. the negative T-Mobile press recently, I feel that the main reason sponsors are pulling out of the ProTour is the lack of a guarantee on investment. ProTour teams used to be guaranteed a spot in all of the major races, no matter what, so the sponsors knew that they would have millions of impression and could justify the expense. But now the landscape has changed. The organizers of the major races now will no longer guarantee a spot to anyone, you get a spot if they like you and you make them look good.

Therefore if a team has a "history" or any other reason that the organizers deem sufficient for excluding a team from a race the sponsor loses out on those impressions. It all boils down to return on investment, paying 10,000,000 Euros to get a guaranteed 50,000,000 impressions throughout the year is a good investment. Paying 10,000,000 Euros to get a guaranteed 1,000,000 impressions and they should be fired.

Make sense to me.

Todd Hollenbeck
Charleston, SC
Friday, November 16, 2007

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Dick Pound better understood

I would like to thank Dick Pound for the following insight on his tenure at WADA:

Pound said he's interested in the soon-to-be-open spot as head of the International Court of Arbitration for Sport.

"I'm available," said Pound, who is both an accountant and attorney. "Listen, it would be the first time in 30 years that the IOC has given me a job that I actually understand."

Kevin Hetherington-Young
Andover, MA
Monday, November 19, 2007

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Bike design originality

Even within the ProTour some animals are more equal than others. How many teams had the wherewithal to put everyone in the wind tunnel the way Postal and Discovery did? How many athletes had a clothing company making special clothing for them to gain a few precious seconds? I'm all for technology, but I'd love to see us go back to the days when tourists had the fancy sub 20lb bikes and racers thought that was ridiculous.

If it is truly about racing, let's have them all on lugged steel bikes, drop bars only and 32 spoke non-aero wheels. You can choose if you want tubulars or clinchers and the location of your shifters. This works well in America for NASCAR because in the end it comes down to who is the best driver. I know, I know, they still have to pedal the bikes, but some racers start out several pedal strokes ahead under the current system.

Doug Graul
Irmo, South Carolina, USA
Monday, November 19, 2007

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Bike design originality #2

I wish I believed in your Idealism of the UCI. If you read the book "The flying Scotsman" you will realise that they are more interested in protecting their chosen riders and manufacturers than they are about fairness or fair-go. Graeme Obree is a true engineer yet having the wrong accent and no major sponsorship meant they conspired to stop him by changing rules at a moments notice.

Compare this to the super Banesto bike or Lotus bike of the same era and see the different way the riders were treated. I would happily see the dissolution of this bunch of old cronies. Let's make cycling an HPV event and see the innovation that will then come through to commuter bikes.

John Carroll
Wednesday, November 21, 2007

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Recent letters pages

Letters 2007

• November 16: Nathan O'Neill, Rasmussen blood values, The Crocodile Trophy, Sinkewitz, Drug testing procedures, Rider's passport, The drug issue, Bike design originality , Sponsorship strangeness, Selfishness will ruin cycling
• November 9: The Crocodile Trophy, A little bit of bias here?, Rider's passport, Kasheckin, Positive tests, Drug testing procedures, Marco Pinotti: Engineering a new path, Bike design originality
• November 2: What does this mean?, Le Tour 08, Mayo's B sample, Bike design originality, Trimble, UCI says Mayo case not closed, Drug testing procedures ... and false positives, Kashechkin: controls violate human rights, Drug testing procedures, Mayo, UCI, Kashechkin, et al... Great, now it's coming from both ends, Positive tests, Why even bother with B samples then?, Mayo's positive EPO test, Falling barriers
• October 26: Rider passports & Cadel Evans, Drug testing procedures ... and false positives, Iban Mayo's false positive, Iban Mayo and Landis, Armstrong on Landis, Mayo's B sample, UCI turns Mayo's case into a debaucle, Great...now they hand pick the results, No justice for Mayo, UCI says Mayo case not closed, Bike design originality, 2006 Tour de France, A bad week for cycling, A fitting end to the season
• October 19: 2006 Grand Tour trifecta!, 2006 Tour de France, A fitting end to the season, Armstrong on Landis, Bike design originality, doping in cycling, Doping numbers, Paris-Tours testing mishap, UCI and the lack of testing!, Vino's other Tour stage win, The absolute best?
• October 12: Armstrong on Landis, Bike design originality, Cycling drama, Doping is unfair; but so is discrimination, It’s not doping that's..., Landis case - everyone's a loser, Length and cost of the Landis case, R & R, The Landis decision, Tour of America
• October 5: Cycle drama, It's not doping that's "killing" the sport, Why is VAM a benchmark, Tour of America, The Landis decision, DYNEPO, Worlds, Rock & Republic's CEO Michael Ball, Please explain, Giuseppe Guerini, FICP
• September 28: Tour of America, World champion zany-ness, The Landis decision, ASO v UCI, McQuaid vs ASO vs the riders, Please explain, Why is VAM a benchmark, Giuseppe Guerini, Menchov felt betrayed by Rasmussen, ProTour and Le Tour, Where is the due process
• September 21: Astana's future and Bruyneel, Bruyneel's afterlife, Floyd Landis decision, Why is VAM a benchmark, Lifetime bans, Menchov felt betrayed by Rasmussen, Ungrateful Levi, Spanish cycling, Where is the due process
• September 14: Astana & Bruyneel, Cycling vs. soccer, Cycling will survive, Floyd Landis decision, LeMond's comments, Menchov felt betrayed by Rasmussen, Ungrateful Levi, Why is VAM a benchmark?
• September 7: Cycling vs. soccer, Floyd Landis decision, UCI, ASO, LeMond, et al who cares? Riders, Lawyers in the Landis case, LeMond's comments, Riders taking the fall?, US Postal/Discovery R.I.P.
• August 31: LeMond’s comments, Farewell De Peet, Cycling needs a Norma Rae, Vino & human rights?, Cadel was robbed, Floyd Landis decision, Market beliefs, Sinkewitz Positive.
• August 23: Biting the hand that feeds you, Cadel was robbed, Congratulations to grand tour organizers, Cycling needs a Norma Rae, Discovery folding, Drugs and cycling, Fewer ProTour teams, Floyd Landis decision, Petacchi’s asthma, Science of doping, Sinkewitz positive, Tailwind withdrawal, The good news...., Unibet, what a shame, World’s exclusion, Vino: "a clear violation of human rights"?,
• August 17: Dying from within..., Cadel was robbed, Biting the hand that feeds you, Discovery folding, Astana-Tour cover-up?, Christian Moreni, UCI may lose it all, Drugs & cycling, Aussie proTour team, Valverde and the worlds, Klöden: are things getting out of control?, Congratulations to grand tours organizers
• August 10: Smarter Drug Testing, Cassani and Rasmussen, Bruyneel: take doping seriously, The dubious Disco boys, Spanish ethics, Who's to blame for doping?, Untrustworthy authorities, Insurance for pro riders, Science of doping, It's working?, State of cycling, Less mountain stages, Positively false, Sinkewitz positive, Team suspensions, Tour ethics, Vino response, Editorials call for ending Tour, Revoking le Tours jerseys, LeMond, the voice crying out in the desert, WADA vigilantes
• August 3, Part 1: What about team suspensions?, WADA vigilantes, Vino response, Vino excluded, but why the whole team?, Unanswered questions, Tour de France doping "scandals", State of cycling, Spanish ethics and the A.C. joke, Sinkewitz positive, Secondary testing?, Editorials calling for ending Tour, Rasmussen's location, Quality control and anti doping, Positively False, McQuaid: not the Godfather of cycling, Less mountain stages
• August 3, Part 2: LeMond, the voice crying out in the desert, Le Tour, L'affaire Vino, It’s the culture, IOC questioning cycling in Olympics, Greg LeMond is not surprised, Greg LeMond, German TV, Due process, Evans v Contador - the real margin of victory, Doping, the media and the MPCC, Doping, Evans, Dope tests and the tour, Different perspective on doping, David Millar, Cycling revolution, Cadel was robbed, Bruyneel a 'man in black'?, Another drug test result leaked, Andy Hampsten
• July 27 Part 1: 80's style back in fashion?, A great few days for cycling, Vino excluded, but why the whole team?, Another drug test result leaked, ASO discretion in administering Tour justice, Astana in stage 5, Astana’s tactics, Bad day for Australia, Bloody dopes, Cadel Evans, Catching Vino is good news, Conspiracy?, David "what a joke" Millar, Doping, Doping controls, Tour ethics, German TV, LeMond, the voice crying out in the desert, How many big bastards in the peloton?
• July 27 Part 2: How will cycling survive, Kazahkstan Pie, Kessler's lie, Landis and lie detector, Landis testing, Le maillot jaune is gone, LeMond and mitochondria myopathy, The'Vino' scene, Losing time and bouncing back, Losing my religion, Moreau, No, not Vino, Out of season testing and baseline tests, PED's, Revoking le Tours jerseys, Petacchi out
• July 20: What about team suspensions?, Tyler Hamilton, Stuttgart Worlds, Sinkewitz positive, Petacchi out!, Bad day for Australia, Kessler's lie, Landis and lie detector, LeMond and mitochondria myopathy, Intestinal problems, Greg LeMond, the voice crying out in the desert, Fair doping tests, Drug testing and sequence of recorded results, Revoking le Tours jerseys, Advice for Stapleton and Sinkewitz, Astana in stage 5, Crashes, bike changes & team cars
• July 13: Fair doping tests, Tyler Hamilton, Tour downright exciting!, Stuttgart(?) Worlds, Rocketing Robbie v tormented Tommy, Armstrong's comment to ASO, Petacchi out, LeMond and mitochondria myopathy, Intestinal Problems, Incentive for doping, Imagine, UCI agreement, Does the UCI test for blood transfusions?, The real heroes, Bicycle options,
• July 5: Tour de France boring!, The real heroes, The flying Scotsman, Signing the contract, No Zabriskie?, LeMond and mitochondria myopathy, Incentive for Doping, Bicycle Options, Anti-doping charter, Sale of the century
• June 29: "The Flying Scotsman",Cancellara,The real heroes, Categorised Climbs, Tour for Devolder and Zabriskie?, Tour de France, boring!,Nationalistic pride, Anti Doping Charter, Bicycle Options, Doping, Doping Coverage - Enough already..., Who dopes? Who doesn't? Who cares!
• June 22: Anti Doping Charter, The real heroes, Basso's "suspension", Categorized climbs, Bicycle options, Greg LeMond and record ITT's, It is about us!, Finding the clean winner of the TdF?, Tour de France, BORING!, Prudhomme and the 1996 Tour farce, Riis, the '96 Tour and Prudhomme, Amnesty for doping..., Cycling, doping....???, Who dopes? Who doesn't? Who cares!
• June 15: Bicycle options, New Trek Madone, A week of confessions, Cycling - not yet a real professional sport, Di Luca's finest win..., Three Tour wins for Ullrich?, Ullrich getting screwed, Giro fever, Amnesty for doping offenses, Greg LeMond and record ITTs, Is drafting a known doper cheating?, Let's sort this mess out, Doping hypocrisy, Cycling, doping....?, Prudhomme and the1996 Tour farce, Simoni goes 1850 meters / hour
• June 8: Di Luca's finest win, Simoni goes 1850 metres / hour, What ever happened to Iban Mayo?, Andy the Dandy, Three Tour wins for Ullrich?, Ullrich getting screwed, Percentage of pros with asthma, Amnesty for doping offenses, ling - not yet a real professional sport, Doping and cycling, Greg LeMond and record ITTs, Meaningless defense, We are out of denial - Let's look forward
• June 1, part 1: A thought for cycling's true heroes..., A cunning plan, A great opportunity for the UCI, Admissions of guilt, Let's have some real confessions, Amnesty is the way forward, Suggestions for an amnesty, Amnesty, Amnesty or punishment?, ASO's double standard, Tour Clowns, Bjarne Riis, Bjarne Riis confession, Riis must go, Riis, Basso, Zabel, et al..., Repairing the Magenta Express, Tip of the iceberg, Riis and winning the tour on EPO
• June 1, part 2: Confessions?, Honour - Seemingly rare in cycling, How deep do you go?, Who do we give it to?, A week of confessions, Peer pressure, Mind boggling hypocrisy, Pro cycling - Sometimes you make it hard to love you, Meaningless defence, Riding with Lance, Lucky Lance, Cheating by proxy, LeMond trying to tear down US riders , So, if Floyd is right..., Thank you Floyd, Floyd Landis hearing, Mr. Young's closing arguments, Something more important..., What ever happened to Iban Mayo?, Percentage of pros with asthma:
• May 23: 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
• 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 Lefévère, Lefévère 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

The complete Cyclingnews letters archive