Letters to Cyclingnews - November 6, 2003

Introducing 'Letter of the week' Win Bar Phat - as used by Supermario! This week we introduce the 'Letter of the Week' prize to recognise the pick of the week's mailbox. We'll be looking for letters that contain strong, well-presented opinions; humour; useful information or unusual levels of sheer helpfulness. And if the collective approval of the Cyclingnews team isn't enough for you, we'll have a variety of prizes, starting this week with a set of Specialized Body Geometry Bar Phat shock-absorbing handlebar tape that usually retails for US$29.99 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. 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 Cyclist of the year? Tour 2004 Bobby Julich at world's Heather French Henry Whither Vinokourov? Amateur racing in France? Six Day Bike Rider

Tour 2004 - Epic battles on the horizon #1

I don't agree with the letter from Mr Martin stating that next year's Tour route will be boring. Yes it perhaps needs one more high mountain stage, but the structure of the stages has been designed so that an aggressive, attacking rider will do well. The stage to Villard de Lans for example, I believe will be one of the most exciting of the race, just as the stage to Gap was this year. The combination of shorter climbs and then a short 2.5km climb to the finish will produce very fast racing where the likes of Vino and other aggressive riders will benefit.

As for the Alpe d'Huez TT, I don't believe that It will produce as significant time gaps as some people seem to think. In 2001 Lance was at the peak of his form, with the best tour performance he has shown. That year he put only one minute in to Ullrich in the mountain TT to Chamrouse over a course twice as long. As we saw this year, Armstrong gains all of his time in the first few minutes of his attacks on a climb and then settles into a rhythm at a similar pace to Jan and the others. It is the sudden accelerations which Ullrich cannot handle, probably due to his slow cadence, and he is perfectly capable of climbing at the same rate as Armstrong, as long as there are no attacks. I therefore believe that it will be a very close match between these two, with a new record for the climb surely being set

Alan Wood
England
Friday October 31 2003

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Tour 2004 - Epic battles on the horizon #2

I too hope they have barriers all the way up the Alpe -- and a mud bog at the bottom, and some off-camber grassy sections, and maybe a sand pit in the middle. Otherwise, how can Lance Armstrong's newly found cyclocross skills truly be put to the test?

Philip Higgs
Friday October 31 2003

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Tour 2004 - Climbers

Armstrong has hardly been the best climber of the past few Tours. Heras was. The big question for 2004 will be if Lance lets Heras win a few stages to get the points jersey.

Martin McEwen
Montreal QC
Friday October 31 2003

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Tour 2004 - TTT rule change

The TdF organizers have made the wrong rule change to the TTT. I have always felt that the TTT should only count to the Team Classification and not the individual GC. Of course this could also lead to abuse in that a team like US Postal could just tool around the TTT course like a club run and keep themselves nice and fresh to help Lance win his 6th and leave the team classification to others, so there is no perfect answer while there is a TTT in the TdF.

I guess the only way out is to drop the TTT altogether and put in another ITT to make up for it. After all, who remembers which team won the team classification in any given year, it's the winner we all remember, not the team.

Jack Medlock
Toronto, Canada
Saturday November 1 2003

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Bobby Julich at world's

But if he was supposed to be a key domestique for GH, you would think that he would have brought more than one bike to the race, and when he dropped back through the caravan, why didn't he get assistance from the neutral car, I'm sure that they had more than just a screwdriver. In the CBC coverage, the mechanics in the pits told Bobby to go around once more so they could set up Floyd Landis' trek with Time pedals.

And also another question, each lap took about 20 minutes to complete, and if Bobby had let his DS (Jim Ochowicz) know about his tech problem, the mechanics in the pits could have had enough time to look for the correct tools, or even put the right pedals on a back-up bike. Hell I'm not mechanically inclined, but it takes me only a couple of minutes to change pedals. The average speed for the first 2 hours was a blistering 39.2kph, and with two descents reaching 70-80kph, that leaves the average speed for the rest of the course to be approx 36-38kph. I know I can do that in my small chainring without too much hassle. Maybe team politics played a card in this matter, maybe Bobby was showing his disappointment with Telekom not renewing his contract by having a mech failure in front of millions of viewers and scores of thousands roadside. Only Bobby and his team knows what went on that day, and maybe someday we will too.

Dave Robins
Canada
Sunday November 2 2003

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Heather French Henry

While I tend to agree with some postings here (and the official line) that this was a tragic accident and NOT road rage, I also have to agree that certain vehicles, combined with an ingrained attitude present in too many drivers, were a large contributor to this. To say that this was in any way the cyclist's fault is ludicrous and mean-spirited, and anyone who maintains this point of view needs serious therapy.

The roads do NOT belong solely to motor vehicles; all 50 states provide that bicycles are, in fact, vehicles as well, and have all the rights and responsibilities of cars on the road. To the best of my knowledge, the only roads closed to cyclists are interstate highways (with good reason.) There are too many people behind the wheel who continually disrespect other users of the road, whether they are cyclists, drivers, truckers, or what. Too many people think driving is a casual exercise, requiring only the most minimal attention (SEE: cell phones, food, newspapers, makeup, stereos, etc.). I can speak to this not only as a cyclist, but as an operator of a motor vehicle. Almost daily, I wonder if someone has played a cruel prank on me, and put a sign on the front of my car that says, "pull out in front of me". I am routinely ignored on the road -- some might say due to the size of my car, but I used to drive a full-size van, and had the same problem!

We really need to take another look at ourselves, and do something to stem this high-octane, greed-driven pursuit so many of us call life. It's killing us all.

Mark Brewster
USA
Sunday November 2 2003

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Whither Vinokourov?

I would have this to say about Mr. Lecourt's comments: the pretense that Heras could win the Tour de France is little more than that - a pretense. Heras has only been able to win the Vuelta during years in which the race is dominated by very steep climbs.

This is most certainly not a criticism of Mr. Heras but an account of his physical abilities. He simply cannot win a race in which long flat TTs can lose him more time than he could make up in the climbs. And his strengths are very steep climbs where the likes of Beloki and Vinokourov cannot hang with him. These sorts of climbs do not abound in the Tour de France.

Roberto himself seems to have made his own judgments in this regard and you will note that he has opted to stay with US Postal. And let's not pretend that everyone rides for Lance as if this was some odd thing. Lance Armstrong has the best chance of winning the Tour de France of anyone on the team regardless of support. And winning races is what this game is all about, not practicing some cult of personality.

I applaud the members of the US Postal Team. They have shown that personal efforts towards teamwork can make the difference between winning and being a bunch of talented individual losers.

Tom Kunich
USA
Friday October 31 2003

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Amateur racing in France?

My wife and I are moving to France sometime in the next 6-9 months. I am well aware of the many randonee and cyclosportif events staged most weekends in France, but I'm having a hard time finding useful information about shorter amateur races in France (and/or Belgium, Spain, Germany, Netherlands, etc.). Looking for crits, kermesses, road races and track racing for me, a Category 4 road racer in the Pacific Northwest. And I'm old (39), if that has anything to do with it.

Any information Cyclingnews readers might provide on this subject would be greatly appreciated.

Dave Dederer
Medina, WA, USA
Saturday November 1 2003

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Six Day Bike Rider

Actually the movie "Six Day Bike Rider" is available on VHS from http://nvogel.com/film/film.html.

Joe Bender-Zanoni
Little Falls, New Jersey
Monday November 3 2003

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Recent letters pages

• October 31 letters - Charly Wegelius, $4000+ derailleur, Tour 2004 - TTT rule change, Bobby Julich at world's, Closure on the Mario Cipollini reign, Heather French Henry, Raimondas Rumsas debacle, Whither Vinokourov?, Six Day Bike Rider
• October 24 letters - Tour 2004, New Pro Tour, What goes on the road stays on the road, Bobby Julich at world's, The Brits, Closure on the Mario Cipollini reign, World's absentees, Mario Cipollini, US media coverage, Heather French Henry, Jan Ullrich to T-Mobile - Whither Vinokourov?, Kelme's real problem, Every Second Counts--incorrect account?, Raimondas Rumsas debacle, Six Day Racer, UCI outlaws CX disc brakes, US$4000+ rear derailleur, Amateur racing in Spain
• October 17 letters - What goes on the road stays on the road, THG, David Millar & the Brits, Every second counts -- incorrect account?, Hamilton course, Heather French Henry news piece, Viva Hein Verbruggen, Jan Ullrich to T-Mobile - Whither Vinokourov?, Bobby Julich at world's, Kelme's real problem, Lance Armstrong, Mario Cipollini, UCI rankings, What's that on Igor's bike?, Two Grand Tours with two different riders, Cycling etiquette, Amateur racing in Spain, Six-Day Bike Rider, Medal chewing
• October 10 letters - Jan Ullrich to T-Mobile - Whither Vinokourov?, Hamilton race course, Caffeine and sport, WADA rule changes, UCI rankings, Hein Verbruggen, Roberto Heras, Mario Cipollini, Clear Channel, Two Grand Tours with two riders, Vets distances, Oscar Egg bike, Six-Day Bike Rider, Cycling etiquette
• October 1 letters - Caffeine and sport, Vuelta? What Vuelta?, WADA rule changes, A sleepy thank you to WADA, Clear Channel, Roberto Heras, George Hincapie and Roberto Heras, Goodbye Saturn, Gran Fondo del Monte Grappa, Greg LeMond, Lance Armstrong's divorce, Suggestion for the big Tours, Supplements, UCI rankings, Ullrich's comments on Luz-Ardiden, Cycling etiquette
• September 26 letters - A sleepy thank you to WADA, WADA rule changes, Goodbye Saturn, Supplemental responsibility, Cycling etiquette, Amber Neben, et al, Clear Channel, World's timing, World champion prognostication, Suggestion for the big Tours, Floyd Landis, Lance Armstrong's divorce, Jan Ullrich in 2004, George Hincapie and Roberto Heras, Greg LeMond, Gran Fondo del Monte Grappa
• September 19 letters - Supplemental responsibility, Blame Canada, A strong US team, Suggestion for the big Tours, Amber Neben, Greg LeMond, Jan Ullrich in 2004, Kimberly Bruckner, Lance Armstrong's divorce, Greg LeMond's 82 World Championship, Tyler Hamilton's Tour win, Track
• September 12 letters - Amber Neben, Mario Cipollini and the Vuelta, Lance Armstrong's divorce, Greg LeMond, Dehydration, Bobby Julich and Telekom, Did Jan Ullrich wait?, Tyler Hamilton's Tour win, Jan Ullrich in 2004
• September 5 letters - No World's for Hamilton, Bobby Julich and Telekom, Ullrich in 2004, Did Ullrich wait?, Lance Armstrong, Major Tour Stage Wins, Contracts, transfers and negotiations, Dehydration, LeMond, Photo Finishes, USA Cycling Website
• August 29 letters - Lefevere's Loss, USA Cycling Website, Bobby Julich and Telekom, Death in Spain, $125,000 Criterium in Charlotte, Australian/US grade equivalence, Bianchi and the TT, Did Lelli Wait?, Did Ullrich wait?, Lance Armstrong, LeMond, Major Tour Stage Wins, Photo finishes, Ullrich in 2004, US television ratings for le Tour, Dehydration, Contracts, transfers & negotiations
• August 22 letters - Contracts, transfers & negotiations, $125,000 Criterium in Charlotte, Did Ullrich wait?, Dehydration, Team time trial, Australian/US grade equivalence, Bianchi and the TT, Lance Armstrong, Major tour stage wins, ONCE and Banesto's departure, The 99 crash, LeMond & Hinault, US television ratings for le Tour, Lance Armstrong's nickname
• August 15 letters - Contracts, transfers & negotiations, The Telekom situation, Did Ullrich wait?, The 99 crash, Team time trial, French campaign against Spanish cycling, US television ratings for le Tour, Dehydration, US Postal and the Giro, Is the Tour clean?, Floyd Landis' Tour diary, Great cyclists, An anti-cramp product?, Hincapie and other Tour domestiques, Italian slur, Lance Armstrong's nickname, Regarding CNN's Jack Cafferty, Sportsmanship, Sprint at Luz Ardiden, Trying for number six
• August 8 letters - Sportsmanship, Trying for number six, Sprint at Luz Ardiden, Regarding CNN's Jack Cafferty, Comments on Hamilton, Tour '03 fashion trends, Dr. Ferrari's comments on Ullrich's power output, Crashes, Dehydration, Great cyclists, Is the Tour clean?, Italian slur, Lance Armstrong's nickname, US television ratings for le Tour, Why not merge?
• August 1 letters - Sportsmanship, Deja vu, Crashes, Dehydration, Lance Armstrong, US television ratings for le Tour, Dr. Ferrari's comments on Ullrich's power output, Is the Tour clean?, Armstrong's chances, Comments on Hamilton, Cycling is like opera, Tour bellies, Sprint at Luz Ardiden, Ullrich waiting, Why not merge?
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