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Letters to Cyclingnews - September 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.
Recent letters
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
Andreu's admission
Full marks to Frankie Andreu for (sort of) coming clean. But this "There are two levels of guys - you got the guys that cheat and guys that are just trying to survive" is just garbage. Frankie, the only distinction is between guys who cheat to win and guys who cheat to finish. Doping = cheating, whether you are winning or "just surviv[ing]". Its precisely this sort of rationalizing doping which has led to its widespread acceptance.
Brendan Moylan
London, UK
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
Andreu's admission
While Andreu's admission is sup rising and disappointing I respect him for confessing to the sport and to the world. I wish more riders would come clean. He was one of my favourite riders during his tenure and his results now are tainted but, in my opinion, admission of misdeeds is forgivable and enhances his integrity. I hope he will have a place in cycling after this admission, and not be banished by the authorities and his peers.
Jeffrey Oliver
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
Millar's hollow victory
I am not all that impressed with Millar winning. As a convicted drug user caught in possession he should not be at the Vuelta or even on a Pro Tour team! Ullrich Basso etc have not been caught using at all but are being dammed by us all.
P. Mapstone
Sunday, September 10, 2006
Basso's DNA test refusal
As far as Basso's lawyer inhibiting the DNA test and sticking to innocence based on "procedural" measures. How is that any different than Armstrong's positive EPO without the B sample? Innocent on "procedure." The what if's remain for those with doubts. What if there was a B sample to check? What if Basso took the DNA test? In either case, the shortcomings of science and legal protocol are painfully apparent. In a legal world of technicalities and a sporting world that doesn't want to nail its athletes for market reasons, there will always be some unscrupulous lawyer, legal alibi or scientific deficiency (or all of the above) to shelve the case, which shows how clean the champion really is.
Rob Huber
Italy
Friday, September 8, 2006
Basso's DNA test refusal
Christ you guys. If someone doesn't do something (Basso) they don't have to prove they didn't. You have to prove they did. Or we are all guilty until innocent and then all is lost.
Brian Polhemus
Spencertown, NY, USA
Friday, September 8, 2006
Basso's DNA test refusal
If I were Basso or Ullrich I would also refuse to take a DNA test, especially if I were innocent. Let's say the DNA test is 99% accurate. If I know that I'm innocent, why take a 1% chance of a false positive? If that false positive result occurred, the case, and my career, would be over.
If I were innocent, I'd wait to see what happens with the governing bodies and take the DNA test if I were given a ban. Then I have far less to lose and more to gain.
B Steere
New York, N.Y., USA
Thursday, September 14, 2006
The big ugly open secret
I am not one to purport conspiracy theories for they often lead to nothing more than circumstantial evidence, but in light of the recent events in the Tour de France and in the cycling community, why is nobody looking at L’Equipe? The Tour has a tremendous conflict of interest being owned by the same media company as L’Equipe. This has been the history of the Tour and the very essence of the birth of the Tour, but now no one dares to point a finger at the organization themselves.
While all other French newspapers have been declining over the recent years, L’Equipe manages to not only stay healthy, but grow. How is that? How do they keep interest in the paper? Scandal maybe? It is not a far fetched idea that newspapers might medal into the out come of the very race they own. They have done it in the past and probably do it in the future. I feel that we sell short where the actual money is in cycling and the Tour. It is not in the sponsors, the teams or the riders. It is in the circulation of the papers that organize the races and put for the drama that maintains their circulation.
Please do your journalistic duty and investigate and keep your industry clean, why don't you investigate the relationship of the Tour, the ASO and L’Equipe and air out their dirty laundry.
Tony Quiroz
Los Angeles, CA USA
Monday, September 11, 2006
Dick Pound
US track athlete Marion Jones recently had an A sample test positive for EPO. Her B sample returned negative. King Richard "Dick" Pound subsequently weighs in. A couple things of note in this story:
1) The governing bodies of Track & Field managed to keep the lid on the A sample results for several months. Granted, they weren't able to contain the news until the B sample exonerated Ms. Jones, but the contrast with cycling's loose lips is striking. Clearly it *is* possible for news of an A sample result to be kept secret. Certain French laboratories and the UCI should be taking notes.
2) King Dick the Blowhard is aghast that the B sample returned negative. He finally admits that the test for EPO, the procedures for executing it, and the interpretation of its results may have issues. Welcome to the real world Mr. Pound.
3) Despite harpooning is very own testing procedures, Dick the Clueless continues to contend Ms. Jones is a cheat. The fact that he continues to vilify an athlete with no scientific leg to stand on, further confirms his incompetence. Is this the guy we want in charge of cleaning up the sports world?
4) Ms. Jones may very well be a cheat, but due to the gross incompetence and distinct lack of integrity of the WADA and it's leaders, we may never know for sure.
Jon Hobbs
Mission, KS, USA
Monday, September 11, 2006
Discovery's Vuelta double-standard
Disco talks up Danielson for the US/English speaking market then John works with what he's got. Danielson has been hyped in the English speaking cycling press for too long. Wasn't he supposed to win this Giro this year? Or was it the Tour? Tom Danielson is a great bike rider with a solid palmares. But he isn't ever going to be anything more than "solid". He is not a grand tour contender.
George Hincapie is exactly the same (and he won't ever win a classic, although he did well winning GP Plouay last year, albeit he has no chance no the organisers have given us a course worthy of the race). Its only the blinkers of parochialism which lead your average American cycling fan to think either of these two are a cut above. And here's a newsflash - just because English is my mother tongue doesn't mean I feel any obligation to engage in Danielson/Hincapie/etc etc cheerleading.
Brendan Moylan
London, UK
Friday, September 8, 2006
Discovery's Vuelta double-standard
The answer is clear, that is if you know competitive cycling. Brajkovic was wearing a golden jersey of Vuelta's leader and clearly the job of his team colleagues that are lower placed on GC is to wait for him and help him. Danielson didn't have just one bad day, there were quite a few, enough for him to loose his position as a team leader. Plus, I didn't hear Tom complain about it? He is a professional rider and he knows his job.
In Mr. Havas' opinion the foreign riders should be working for American riders in American Team, no matter what? I think sponsors would much rather have a Slovenian rider two days in a golden jersey that all the team working for 10th place of an American rider...
As for Bruyneel, I think you should be really happy for having him around in 1998 and 1999 when nobody (except him and Lance) believed that Lance had what it takes for Tour victory.
Marko Baloh
Slovenia
Friday, September 8, 2006
Discovery's Vuelta double-standard
What utter nonsense!
Johan Bruyneel only made one mistake, that was appointing Danielson as team leader for the Vuelta. With all due respect to Tom, he has had too many "bad days" in the grand tours over the years. Put yourself in Bruyneel's shoes, you have Tom struggling to stay with the pace or some young kid racing out of his shoes hanging into one of the best riders in the world in Danilo De Luca, sorry Janez come back and look after Tom instead of putting yourself into second place on GC....Only one option really.
Now that he has slipped back the team can look after the best placed GC riders and pick out stages wins.
Without Armstrong in place, Discovery has shown this season they don't have another natural leader therefore they need to take what they can when they can. They maybe have another natural winner on their hands but at 22 do you want to heap that pressure on him. Give Brajkovic time to mature, he may be the future Discovery need, let's face it after years of hope in Spain Valverde is finally coming good. Time is a great thing.
Donald Young
Aberdeen, Scotland
Friday, September 8, 2006
Discovery's Vuelta double-standard
I beg to differ with Mr. Havas. Discovery has given Tom Danielson a heck of a lot of chances to prove his worth. I think its time we all face the fact the Mr. Danielson just doesn't have that top tier ability necessary to win Grand Tours. He’s definitely been given more chances than he was with Fassa Bortolo and still we've got nothing. I say let Tom flourish in the week long tours. He’s proven he can do something in those. The 3 week Tours however are out of his league.
Sorry Tom.
Warren Beckford
Bloomfield, CT, USA
Friday, September 8, 2006
Discovery's Vuelta double-standard
After watching the first three mountain stages of the Vuelta it was very noticeable that Johan Bruyneel had plans for Tom Danielson and it was not "team leader".
Tom Danielson has no future with Discovery and needs to find a team and D.S. who believes in him.
Jo Anne Miller
USA
Saturday, September 9, 2006
Doping tests and subjective evaluation
On the news this morning I heard Dick Pound being confronted with Marion Jones’ negative B test for EPO and how it was possible. After first defending the testing practices in general, how scientific and reliable they are, etc, he went on to explain that the EPO test does not give a clear-cut answer: Some times the test value is so low that there is no room for doubt (i.e. it is negative), other times it is so high that there is no room for doubt (i.e. it is positive), but in some cases the test value is in a range where there actually is room for doubt. In such cases the medical experts may disagree about the result, i.e. whether it is positive or negative. Well, so much for the scientific approach…. (PS. Perhaps I misunderstood some of Dick Pound's answer, after all it was early morning and before I had my first cup of black coffee, but I am pretty sure that I grasped the main points).
Anyway, I have learnt to not take everything Dick Pound says for granted and I would therefore appreciate if a real doping expert could explain me how the doping tests actually works in practice: i.e. are they based purely on sound scientific evidence (like an HIV/AIDS-test) or is subjective evaluation (e.g. when the test value is in the "doubt range") also a part of the process? If subjective evaluation is involved, who is selected to do the (subjective) evaluation and does this practice apply to all doping tests or only the EPO test?
Kai Larsen
Oslo, Norway
Friday, September 9, 2006
Fitting punishment
Mandatory DNA testing? Jail sentences? Lifetime bans? Zero tolerance? Ladies and Gentlemen, this is a sport and a business. Nothing more. A great sport, yes. But it is just a sport. Zero tolerance is a fool's errand. Perfection in any human endeavour simply doesn't exist. Lighten up and understand that we have a great professional sport that catches the cheats most of the time. That's good enough for me. I am proud to be a cycling fan and will continue to be one for a long time.
Pat O'Brien
Sierra Vista, AZ, USA
Friday, September 8, 2006
Fitting punishment
I'm having a little trouble understanding why everyone is so intent on banning an athlete who takes a "banned substance" for so many years. I remember a gymnast at the Olympics whose doctor gave her a cold pill because she came down with a cold, and she was disqualified. It seems to me that the penalty should fit the infraction. If a rider takes an over-the-counter medicine and is tested, does that mean he should be banned for two years.
Also, why should cyclists be treated so much more harshly than other pro sports? I remember a Washington Redskin player who was arrested for cocaine use, and all the punishment was that he couldn't play for the rest of the season. Other pros are not tested during their off seasons and can take any medicines they need, even during the playing season. Somehow, it doesn't seem as if there is a balanced playing field.
Joe Alden
Southern Pines, NC, USA
Saturday, September 9, 2006
Hermida is clean
Jose Antonio Hermida was racing last weekend in the final round of the Mtb. World Cup series in Schladming, Austria. He finished fourth nonetheless. Did anybody heard about it?
Last thing I heard, Hermida was forced to fly back from New Zealand only a few days before the World Championships in which he was favourite for gold. "Somebody" said he was involved in "operacion puerto". I could read the news in newspapers and on Tv the same day that happened, when normally Mtb. is irrelevant to the media, but also in cyclingnews.com and other sites.
Now suddenly no charges are against him and he can race again. But nobody will talk about that, apparently. Nobody will say to be sorry. A big damage has been done and nobody wants to report it. I think it is disgusting.
Keep riding strong Jose, you have all our support!
Iñigo Gisbert
Hondarribia, Basque Country, Spain
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
Floyd Landis' motion to dismiss
What ever happens from now on I believe Landis is innocent. After these gross errors have been found the charges must be dropped. I find it interesting that the laboratory analyzing Landis’ samples are the same lab that provided the media with old Armstrong lab results. There is something rotten in the hen house. Its time we put less energy into destroying our cycling heroes and more energy into investigating who’s at the helm of the testing procedures… (ahem!…Mr. POUND)
Warren Beckford
Bloomfield, CT, USA
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
Easier racing
Jacques Rogge, the president of the International Olympic Committee, has suggested four primary ways of discouraging the use of dope in sports. Here is what he had to say about the fourth way, in which he suggests that sporting events be made easier, “We have to dare to ask the tours of France and Italy whether the load is ideal. In this context, a panel of specialists together with the riders can examine what the ideal load is. I'm not the only one who's said that: Tom Boonen has also said it.”
However, in response, Tour de France boss Christian Prudhomme had this to say, “We will neither shorten the stages nor the total distance … nobody had the idea to shorten the 100 metres to 90 after the positive test of Justin Gatlin, did they?”
The problem with Prudhomme’s response, as I see it, is that he is assuming that those track and field stars that dope are doing so for the same reasons as those cyclists who dope for the Tour. This is a mistaken assumption, it seems. In track and field, those who are doping seem to be doing so for one reason, to cheat. In the Tour, those who are doping are doing so for one of two reasons, to cheat or simply just to survive the gruelling three-week race, as Frankie Andreu, formally of US Postal, has claimed.
If the Tour is shortened both in stage length and in overall distance, then this should discourage those cyclists from doping who are doing so just to survive the Tour. It may not discourage those who are doping to win, but making the Tour easier will be part of the solution to a very big problem.
Ian Smith
Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
Operation Puerto
Now that operation Puerto (O.P.) is known around the world, why is it that only CYCLISTS have been implicated? According to the early reports there should be at least 100+ other individuals on the BLACK LIST of O.P.. Let's see who else is involved!
Darren B.
Virginia, USA
Friday, September 8, 2006
Thank you Chris Horner
I just want to say a big "Thank You" to Chris for 1) writing consistently, and 2) writing something worth reading. Not all racer diaries read well, but Chris at least seems to have a perspective that seems really genuine, and dynamic. Keep em coming.
Eric Hallander
Little Silver, NJ, USA
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
The testosterone test
It is still not clear as to what are the sample testing protocols for the T:E ratio and carbon isotope analyses. For example was sample B tested randomly from a group of other anonymous samples? If not, the whole testing protocol comes into question; as a scientist I know very well the inherent risk of interpreting data to fit "desired results", secondly it introduces the possibility of samples being sabotaged.
However, sampling techniques aside, proving that the exogenous origin of the testosterone is incorrect or "isolated" only to the samples taken after stage 17, should be easily verified by performing carbon isotope analysis on Landis' samples taken before and after stage 17. Negative results from these samples would very much prove Landis' innocence.
It would also be interesting to get a baseline of carbon isotope test data for the other TdF riders, including all that passed the T:E ratio!
Rui Ferreira
USA
September 8, 2006
Friday, September 8, 2006
Mano a mano
Although no specific Cyclingnews citation was given, I suspect Cyclingnews usage of "mano a mano" is correct. (Sorry, Graham)
"Mano a mano" is used when you have a competition between two foes. So when two cyclists are off the front battling for the stage win, for example, they are certainly mano a mano. In such usage, there is also a sense of fair play or fight, as if neither competitor has an initial advantage.
The phrase is a colloquialism and as such can't be translated literally ("hand to hand", not "hand in hand"). "Man to man" actually isn't a bad translation, but it's just a coincidence that it looks like a cognate of mano a mano ("mano" didn't derive from "hand" or vice versa).
Darrel Stickler
San Mateo, CA USA
Mano a mano
What if I told you we fought "toe to toe" or we went "head to head"? If I wanted to translate that into Spanish, I definitely wouldn't say they went "cabeza a cabeza". Translations between languages should probably focus on the content, not syntax.
Oded Gurantz
Berkeley, CA, USA
Friday, September 8, 2006
Mano a mano
It's fine for Graham Elliot or anyone else to be pedantic provided he gets it right but, sorry Mr Elliot, in Spanish hand-in-hand is 'de la mano'. 'Los dos iban de la mano' is 'The two were walking hand in hand.' Hand-to-hand (as in hand-to-hand street fighting) would normally be cuerpo a cuerpo (literally body to body) except in bullfighting when two top matadors try to outdo each other, and that's a Mano a Mano.
Now who's pedantic? and bilingual?
Liz Cochrane
Malaga, Spain
Friday, September 8, 2006
Turbo bottle
Regarding the "Turbo Bottle" it's interesting that it's only being mentioned now.
Does anyone HONESTLY think Floyd Landis needed to drink/tip over his head as much water as he did on his breakaway in the Tour de France?
C'mon, I watched the guy essentially get towed up every climb on that stage by holding onto bottles from the car. I know it's a common thing but why didn't the officials do anything about it then. It was blatant cheating. Oh well, I guess in the end he found an even better way to cheat!
Jason Rico
Friday, September 8, 2006
Recent letters pages
Letters 2006
- 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 - Pro Tour 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 - Pro Tour 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. Pro Tour 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
