Letters to Cyclingnews - March 13, 2006

Tour of California

It may just be coincidence, but there were certainly more riders out on the Santa Monica Bay bike path this morning (a Saturday) at 7AM than I have seen at any time in the last several years, with the possible exception of last July.

There has been lots of speculation about whether cycling's popularity in the US would wane in the post-Lance era, but I think the success of the TOC is a great step forward for the sport here.

With many great Pro Tour riders coming from this country, it only makes sense that we should be able to mount several races of the calibre of TOC or Georgia and that young (and old) riders can easily find heroes among the greats like Landis, Leipheimer, Zabriskie, Hincapie, and Julich and inspiration from our continental riders like Michael Creed, Thomas Peterson, and the newly launched Toyota-United Pro squad.

If nothing else, I know seeing these guys crank their way up the Casitas Pass and fly down Catalina through my old haunt of Redondo Beach has made me ride harder the last couple of weeks. Thanks to the Tour and the riders for a great show!

Jeff Mee

Culver City, CA
Saturday, March 4, 2006

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Tour of California

I agree with last week's 'letter of the week' that the inaugural Tour of California was awesome to behold. However, the suggestion to move the race to April or May is a very foolish one. The only chance for this race to make a serious international impression is for it to stay where it is on the race calendar and thus capitalize on a relatively empty time slot during the early-season schedule of preparation races (as the Tour Down Under has done so incredibly well). The best part of the Tour of California was being able to see riders like Hincapie, Simoni, Savoldelli, Julich, Rogers, and Voigt (to name just a few) competing in North America.

If the Tour of California shares a time slot with the monumental spring classics and/or the Giro then great champions like those listed above will not be racing in California. Furthermore, the race itself will never capture the full imagination and attention of the cycling public if it occurs simultaneously with legendary European races. So, I hope the weather continues to smile on the Tour of California and that it soon becomes THE race to attend in late February.

Jordan Sagalowsky

Boston
Saturday, March 11, 2006

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Floyd Landis

Hi

I have never written a letter or an opinion on anything but this time I feel I must.

I used to put on races in the L.A, Orange County area and years ago Floyd Landis showed up at my Santiago Canyon time Trial. At that time he had a small sponsorship from 2 people who had a business in Orange County.

I could see from the start that this guy was G O O D. It progressed from there to a very difficult road race I used to put on in Pearbloosm (near Lancaster). It was the State Road Race Championship and he entered the category 3.

The officials on the course had to have the category Pro 1,2 move over to let at cat 3 come by…guess who? He is a very nice person and deserves to win the Tour De France…and he will!

Marilyn Sonye
Friday, March 10, 2006

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Rory Sutherland and clomiphene

With regard to the story about Rory Southerland and clomiphene (Clomid), it is certainly not a rare drug in the sports world. In my practice as a breast surgeon, I have seen many young men with gynecomastia, or overgrowth of male breast tissue, caused by taking anabolic steroids. They frequently admit to taking Clomid in an attempt to block the side effect of gynecomastia. It is also felt to have some effect on performance among endurance athletes, and to help repair exercise damaged muscle. See http://www.mesomorphosis.com/steroid-profiles/clomid.htm for a reference on the perceived benefits of this drug.

Frank Koniges, MD

Haddonfield, NJ, USA
Saturday, March 11, 2006

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Rory Sutherland

Clomiphene, what Rory Sutherland tested positive for, is actually a drug used by bodybuilders at the end of steroid cycles and some endurance athletes to restore the body’s natural production of testosterone. It's a recovery drug. I don't know if Rory is innocent or guilty, but it is a performance enhancing drug.

Noah Metzler

Columbus Ohio
Friday, March 10, 2006

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Tyler Hamilton

I feel that A.M.Pucillo has stated the case nicely. Well said.

It is imperative that a system be developed that provides the same degree of proof that would be required in a court of law. That does not exist for many drugs at this time. Poorly validated tests and innuendo lead to permanent stains on character, with no hope of 'proving a negative' - that is, that the accused did not take drugs.

R. Gilchrist
Friday, March 3, 2006

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Tyler Hamilton #2

Tyler/Roberto/David who? They all deserve to be ignored.

Mike O'Reilly

Sydney, Australia
Monday, March 6, 2006

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Effect of doping on young cyclists

I raced with a young guy for a short period of time (he was far better, and moved up fast) who ended up in Europe on a continental team as a 19 year old. After one season he quit racing forever; the reason? His team was trying to force him to take drugs, and he didn't want to. Realising he had no future in the sport unless he doped, he quit racing altogether - yet another reason to rid the sport of doping.

Rob Found,

Jasper, Canada
Saturday, March 4, 2006

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EPO test and credibility

It's interesting to note the tone WADA takes about itself and what test is approved, whether it works or not, etc. I suppose it's important to take this sort of line with everyone - we are infallible, we are the governing body, we are above criticism, etc. They have done their tests, made a decision on it; the particularities of it (i.e. a rider's career) don't concern us. It's a tone one must take. As a "leader" of such an organisation confidence is important. Your people (the rest of the non-cycling sporting world) won't believe in you if they don't have confidence in you. As long as YOU know you are doing the right thing, despite the critics, one must stay the course. I would likely take the same tone if I was in his position.

And what is his position? He is the "leader" of the WADA - a big organisation with many sports of whom only cycling is one. His very position must be this - to remain credible with the other organisations, none of which is paying attention to the lack of credibility and effectiveness his organisation has with cycling. People only really think about their own little world. Having said that, the head people who run other sports (IOC, et al.) must wonder how well WADA is doing given the tattletale 5th grade nature of his comments about the greatest cyclists in the world. Likely only the heads of other sporting organizations would have this view I would think.

This is where WADA (Dick Pound) fall down and why they aren't credible. The rest of Dick Pound's behaviour sabotages his and his organisation's credibility to the ground. I would think this for all sport. What this also does this are the increasingly savvy fans that can see a treatise on EPO, the test, and so forth on Cyclingnews and draw their own conclusions. I read one great article on how inconclusive testing is generally from a medical doctor and on and on it goes. It's not likely to end any time soon, as long as our heroes are being sacrificed, compromised and generally hemmed in on every side.

One has to account for how people feel. This one goes right to you Dick Pound- before throwing your "weight" around, you might want to check your own behaviour to make sure it doesn't sacrifice all the work your organization does. If anything, I would gladly have some cheats who aren't caught vs. dealing with an WADA or a UCI which doesn't seem credible to catch them. It's like having a corrupt police force, or a police force who feels their agenda is something other than protecting the rest of the citizens.

In sport, you have officials and those officials have to call it like they see it, but the guys on the soccer, baseball, or football field aren't given microphones to tell the world about the seedy underbelly of those sports and the particularities of a person's behaviour because that's not their job. It also isn't yours, Dick Pound.

Your job is to do a better job screening for cheats - to answer for why those athletes who are our heroes shouldn't be. To answer why your test's results are failsafe when we know - thanks to Cyclingnews and the larger web medical community - that they are, in fact, NOT. Facts, details, analyses…stand by your test results, Dick Pound and WADA. Peer review your protocols to the point of our confidence in you. If you don't do that you will have to answer for it afterwards. Do your job.

Were you in fact any kind of leader at all, you would do so. Otherwise, you should be invisible and mute on the subject, except to address these key things comprehensively when there is doubt. Stop accusing and maligning, because when you do you now become a part of the problem when your job is to be a part of the solution.

Regis Chapman

Grass Valley, CA
Sunday, March 12, 2006

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Winter Olympics and Cyclocross

Can someone explain to me why Cyclo Cross isn't a winter Olympic sport? Is the UCI sleeping on this or what?

Andrew Couch
Sunday, March 5, 2006

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Cyclocross in the winter Olympics

I as sit and recover from a wonderful two weeks of watching the winter Olympics, I got into a discussion with some friends about why there aren’t more winter Olympic sports and what could be added.

This brought me to the conclusion that why not add cyclocross to the winter Olympics, I think it would be a great show and help to promote cycling as a year around sport. Plus I am sure the Italians would have been out in full force to cheer everyone one on and Sven could have made up for his little bobble at the Worlds by winning an Olympic gold. Then he could have worn gold shoes like Bettini for the next four years.

So how about it - cyclocross in Vancouver in 2010?

Jason Reitz

USA
Friday, March 3, 2006

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Electronic Dura Ace

This is it. The marketing wonks have got to be pulled in. Electronic shifting is the lamest thing to come down the pike since...well, since 10 speed rear cogs. Only this is even lamer. No benefit, increased cost, increased complexity, more weight. What's the point?

It seems to me that this would all come skidding to a halt if the UCI would just pass a rule to the effect that bikes are human powered vehicles and they shall always remain so. Introducing electronically powered shifting, no matter how innocuous it might seem, is crossing a pretty easily defined line. Let's just keep powered, whatever off of bikes and keep the rider in charge. No external power sources. That should be a pretty easy concept to grasp. Please, let them act before it's too late.

What's next, mini gyros to keep us from falling down?

Ken Finch

Portland, Oregon
Thursday, March 9, 2006

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Big Jan Ullrich

I am so sick of hearing people repeating the statement learned from Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwen, that Jan Ullrich is big. After so many times hearing them say "The big German" people that have never met Jan Ullrich come to believe that he is huge. When you compare him to Heras or Guerinni he is big, but compared to a lot of others he isn’t. The guy is 6 feet and 160 LBS when in race form, so enough of the ‘big’ remarks.
Friday, March 3, 2006

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Recent letters pages

Letters 2006

• February 24: Tyler Hamilton, Tyler Hamilton and Roberto Heras, Sanctions for doping, Drug testing, Doping, Culture of denial, Tour 2006, Ullrich and the 2006 tour, T-Mobile, Ullrich and Godefroot, Davitamon-Lotto outfits, Pantani
• February 17: Tyler Hamilton, Hamilton's decision, Culture of denial, Drug testing, Pantani, Support for Mark French, Heras' positive doping results, EPO, Bergman, Sanctions for doping, Ben Kersten, Hour record, Davitamon circus clowns, Team CSC at Solvang, Ullrich and the 2006 Tour, Confused about doping
• February 10: Ullrich and the 2006 Tour, Too early to call the Tour, AIS crash verdict, Punishment for the death of Amy Gillett, Women's cycling, Support for Mark French, Michael Rassmussen, More Kilo and 500m TT argument, Liberty Seguros at Tour Down Under, Hour record, Sanctions for doping
• February 3: International teams, Liberty Seguros at Tour Down Under, Anti-doping tactics, Ullrich and the 2006 Tour, Too early to call the Tour, Tour of California, Phonak training camp feature, Aussie national champs, More Kilo and 500m TT argument, McQuaid and the UCI, Australian championships, Support for Mark French, Sanctions for doping, Women's cycling, Team strip
• January 24: Future of Spanish cycling, Australian championships, Aussie national champs - a deserved winner, Aussie nationals, World champion kit, Ullrich and the 2006 Tour, With Lance gone, Some observations on Oz, PCA suing Dick Pound, International teams
• January 17: EGO Mania, Basso: seeing double, Aussie nationals, Australian championships, Russell Mockridge, PCA suing Dick Pound, USA cycling, World champion kit, The future, Some observations on Oz
• January 6: The Tour hypocrisy, Pat McQuaid, McQuaid, Bart Wellens, Urine testing, Dope so you can
• January 3: That damn Lance, Bart Wellens, Cyclists in South Australia, EGO Mania, King Pound, Urine testing for rEPO, The Tour hypocrisy, Dope so you can, Give McQuaid a chance, Elimination Tour de France

Letters 2005

• December 23: McQuaid and the UCI, Cyclists in South Australia, Bart Wellens, That Damn Lance, Patrice Clerc Interview, Don't accuse every top athlete, Dope so you can, Sanctions for doping - episode 99, Allan Butler tribute
• December 16: An embarrassment of riches, The chickens have come home to roost, McQuaid and the UCI, UCI vs Grand Tour organisers, At least they have something in common, Back to the seventies, Basso at Giro 2006, Cycling is best at what it does, Dope so you can, Cycling one dimensional, Don't accuse every top athlete, Heras and drugs, Where are all of Heras' supporters?, Dick Pound, Chasing an inevitable high, SF Grand Prix
• December 9: Basso at Giro 2006, Heras EPO test procedure, The Heras case, Where are all of Heras' supporters?, Heras and drugs, Do you have to ask why?, Dope so you can, Global doping, The burden of proof, Chasing an inevitable high, EPO, Colorado State Patrol, SFGP - Bring it back!
• December 2: Heras EPO test procedure, Heras - three times lucky, The Heras case, Another profile in disappointment, SFGP - Bring it back!, San Francisco Grand Prix, San Francisco GP, Tyler Hamilton, Chasing an inevitable high, Circumstantial evidence, The burden of proof, Global Doping, Graeme Obree, Moron or marketing genius, Exciting again
• November 25: San Francisco GP, San Fran Grand Prix, San Fran GP, San Francisco city supervisor responds, A tale of two cities, Tyler Hamilton - UCI leaks, Wire in the blood part II, Tyler Hamilton, Hamilton wait time, Heras - three times lucky?, What is the UCI doing?, Exciting again, Le Tour will live on without Armstrong, Moron or marketing genius, A modest proposal, Weekend club racing world championships
• November 18: Heras - three times lucky?, What is the UCI doing?, Exciting again, 2006 Tour de France, Positive urine EPO tests, Le Tour will live on without Armstrong, LeBlanc's Tour snub of Armstrong, Tour of Southland, Schlimmer response, Exercise-induced asthma
• November 11: LeBlanc's Tour snub of Armstrong, Exciting again, Le Tour will live on without Armstrong, Armstrong, the TdF, etc, The 2006 Tour de France and Lance, Lance, Le Tour and Ethics, Armstrong snub at Tour presentation, Pro wrestling and cycling, Swimming and Cycling, What TdF?, Fair justice, Another doping letter, Where has common sense gone?, Technology in cycling, Schlimmer
• November 4: LeBlanc's Tour snub of Armstrong, The 2006 Tour de France and Lance, Le Tour de malcontent, Tour de France 2006, What TdF?, Le Tour wounded, Gossip ruins cycling, EPO, Exercise-induced asthma, Dick Pound and soccer, Tour of US, Tour of California, Swimming and Cycling
• October 28: Le Tour de Malcontent, LeBlanc's Tour snub of Armstrong, Caution needed, TdF 2006, Has cycling become a honky tonk sport?, Tristan Hoffman, UN effort to fight doping in sport, UCI ProTour, Cam Jennings, Exercise-induced asthma, Chris Sheppard is a class act, Why?, Crocodile Trophy - worlds' toughest race?
• October 14: Infallible doping tests?, Get on with your life, Doping. What else?, Pound versus Armstrong, Hamilton, etc, L'Equipe forgot - or not, John Lieswyn, Eddy Merckx
• October 7: John Lieswyn, Bravo, Lieswyn, 1999 Tour de France urine samples, Allan Butler, Tyler Hamilton, Doping versus biomechanical enhancements, Doping control, McQuaid's image, Comment on Chris Horner at Zuri Metzgete, Scientific proof, Thank goodness Moreno lost, What has happened to American Cycling?, Pound versus Armstrong, Hamilton, etc, French bias
• September 30: Petacchi and McEwen's reactions, Ale-Jet, Ale-Jet blasts his critics..., Petacchi's class, Petacchi, Bravo, Lieswyn, French bias, Tom Danielson, What has happened to American Cycling?, Quote of the year, At the heart of the matter, Lance's EPO tests, Doping control, On Pound and the like, Pound Ill informed, Verbruggen is wrong, Doping and apparel
• September 23: A quick thanks, Australian worlds team, Go Mick!, Infighting, Pound Ill informed, WADA mess, Heras and the Giro, Verbruggen is wrong, Chris Sheppard busted for EPO, Explaining increases in performance, Quote of the year, Vuelta rest day observations
• September 16: Vuelta rest day observations, Australian worlds team, Explaining the increases in performance, Debate settled, doping lives on, Samuel Sanchez, Scientific proof, The perfect crime, Another topic please, CYCLINGnews.com, Doping, Illegal motivation, Illegal motivation - another possibility, Lance and the Tour de France, Drug use, Alternate Universe, WADA, Chris Sheppard busted for EPO, Just Do It
• September 9: The debate rages, Bad for cycling, Lance and the Tour de France, EPO Testing and Haematocrit, Doping, Illegal motivation, Lance the Man, Armstrong and doping, Question for Dick Pound..., Land of the Free, home of the Brave, Lance, I have a better idea, Where are the results?, Armstrong's Tour comeback, Don't make that mistake, Lance, Response to the test
• September 2: Lance Armstrong, all-American boy, Doping, Claude Droussent lies, L'Equipe credibility, Lance versus Jan, Jan versus Lance, Cold fusion and Lance, The perfect crime, EPO and the Wink Wink Standard, Germany owed four yellow jerseys?, Lance, cycling and cancer, Lance issues, The whole Lance doping issue, Neither defense nor attack, The test, Land of the Free, home of the Brave, Armstong couldn't come clean, Summarising the Lance situation, Lance's tests, Keep an open mind, Lance and doping, Check results before you wreck yourself, Seeing is believing, L'Equipe and ASO, and Lance, Lance and EPO, Aussie perspective on the upcoming worlds, A rave rather than a rant
• August 26: Lance and LeBlanc, Lance versus France, Can of worms story, The Test, Benoit Salmon wins the 1999 Tour, The perfect crime, Armstrong tests positive, L'Equipe and ASO, Lance rubbish, Lance and the French yellow press, Armstrong, EPO and WADA, Lance Downgrading Armstrong victories, Lance doping garbage, Lance versus Jan, Doping, Six stages to win the 99 tour, EPO test under scrutiny, Lance irony, Lance as a spokesman, Cyclists and politicians, Verbruggen's campaign to elect his successor, John Lieswyn, Can of worms, Americans in Paris
• August 19: Ned Overend, Guidi positive, What is going on at Phonak?, Ullrich's riding style, How about credibility from both sides?, Lieswyn's gesture
• August 12: Pro Tour 2006, Credibility from both sides?, Zabel leaves T-Mobile, Chris Horner, Ullrich's riding style, Well done Wayne!, Armstrong and class, Possible correlations
• August 5: Zabel leaves T-Mobile, Thanks from a survivor, Bicycle safety, Message for Chris Horner, Perspective, Discovery in ninth, Tech, Armstrong and class, The King of July!, Heras through rose colored glasses, Possible correlations
• July 29: Perspective, France and Lance's Legacy, Armstrong and class, Best Wishes to Louise, Levi's Diary, Heras through rose colored glasses, The King of July, Here we go again!, Treat Lance like the others, Tech, Lance Armstrong's time trial equation, Life begins at 30
• July 22: McEwen - villain to superhero, Underdogs and overdogs at the Tour, Big George, George Hincape, Hincapie's stage win, Cadel's Tour memory, What the fans would love to see, Is Godefroot really NOT the man?, A true classic, Phonak's poor sportsmanship, Phonak double standards, My new hero, Discovery Channel tactics, Lance Infomercial?, Treat Lance like the others, TdF sprint finishes, Leaky Gas?, Little black box
• July 15: The best seat in the house, Joseba Beloki, Message for Chris Horner, Treat Lance like the others, Lance Infomercial?, McEwen defense, Rail lines in the TdF, Ruse Discovered?, Discovery's unanimous breakdown, IS Jan really the man?, Cycling socks, Patrick Lefevre quit your whining, Armstrong and class, Leaky Gas?, TdF sprint finishes, Who is in charge of the UCI?, Tires and slippery roads, Response to the Vowels of Cycling, Little black box
• July 8: McEwen defends himself, Tires and slippery roads, Random test on Lance Armstrong, French Government dope controls, The Pro Tour and Grand Tours, Tour de France's early finish?, Here we go again!, Thank you, Ed Kriege, Lance Infomercial?, No, the other Merckx!, The Vowels of Cycling, Armstrong's pre-Tour communiqués, Armstrong and class
• July 1: No, the other Merckx!, Armstrong's pre-Tour communiqués, The Vowels of Cycling, Figures of merit - TdF tipping, Lance Infomercial?, Daily Terror, Sydney article, Why Michael Rogers will be awesome with T-Mobile, I love it!, MTB news, Twins
• June 24: Sydney article, Hit and run on cyclists - Australia's new blood sport?, Another fatal hit and run on Australian cyclists, How can Ullrich win the Tour?, Drop Verbruggen, The second American, When the Tour heads up, Droppin' the Kilo!, Kilo or no go, What is Michael Rogers thinking?, Rogers to T-Mobile, For the love of god don't do it Mick!, The first yellow jersey, Horner Impressive, Leave T-Mobile/Fassa Bortolo, renew your career!, Horner's stage win at the Tour de Suisse, Bobby Julich, Daily Terror, Hell on Wheels review
• June 17: Droppin' the Kilo!, Killing the kilo and 500, The kilo, Axing the Kilo?, The track Time Trials, The first yellow jersey, Armstrong and Class, The year of the comeback, Horner's stage win at the Tour de Suisse
• June 10: The year of the comeback, An open letter to Cadel Evans, How Ullrich can win the Tour, USPRO/Liberty, Lance, the Tour and the Giro, Lance and the Tour, Show us your discards Godefroot!, Armstrong and Class, Ivan's training ride, Giro comments
• June 3: Giro comments, Giro excitement vs Tour blah, Ivan Basso, Ivan's training ride, Discovering the future, Jose Rujano, Savoldelli vs Simoni, How Ullrich can win the Tour, Eddy Merckx Interview, Johan Bruyneel, Show us your discards Godefroot!, Improving Pro Tour Team Rankings, Lance and the Tour, Armstrong and class
• May 27: Giro excitement vs Tour blah, Great Giro!, Double or nothing..., Colle delle Finestre and a Cipo farewell, Joseba Beloki, Ivan's training ride, Hell on Wheels, Matt Wittig, How Ullrich can win the Tour, UCI fines, Armstrong and class, Eddy Merckx Interview, The disappointment of Viatcheslav Ekimov, You have let us down Paolo
• May 20: Colle delle Finestre tactics, Rogues, It just keeps happening, Davis Phinney, Joseba Beloki, Australia - number one, You have let us down Paolo, Bettini/Cooke, What's up with pro cyclists these days?, Cipo, Cipo, Cipo, A question about team names, The disappointment of Viatcheslav Ekimov, Go Eki!
• May 13: Hit and run, Bettini vs Cooke, Bettini's Illegal sprint, You have let us down Paolo, Giro, Bettini/Cooke, Cookie's crumble, Bjarne's right: There's only one Jens Voigt!, Jens Voigt and the blind, South Australians protest against hit-and-run death, It just keeps happening, Liberty Seguros, The disappointment of Viatcheslav Ekimov, Go Eki!, Australia - number one, Irresistible in July, UCI weight rule
• May 6: South Australians protest against hit-and-run death, Tyler Hamilton's case, Hamilton and the facts The USADA decision on Tyler Hamilton, Tyler Hamilton, Tyler, Testing and the Virenque Comparison, How do dopers live with themselves?, General view on doping, Hamilton guilty regardless of the facts, Hamilton verdict, Tyler is good going uphill, Hamilton interview, Klöden comments, Tyler H, Simoni, Grazie Mario, Sheryl Crow, or should we say...Yoko Ono
• April 29: South Australians protest against hit-and-run death, Tyler Hamilton's case, Hamilton and the facts The USADA decision on Tyler Hamilton, Tyler Hamilton, Tyler, Testing and the Virenque Comparison, How do dopers live with themselves?, General view on doping, Hamilton guilty regardless of the facts, Hamilton verdict, Tyler is good going uphill, Hamilton interview, Klöden comments, Tyler H, Simoni, Grazie Mario, Sheryl Crow, or should we say...Yoko Ono
• April 22: Lance Armstrong's retirement, W is for Witchhunt, Tyler's mishandling defense, Not for real, is it?, Bad Science, Blood testing issues, Hamilton - finally a decision, Regarding the Tyler Hamilton decision, Tyler Hamilton, Satisfying Verdict for Hamilton Case, How do dopers live with themselves?, Hamilton's case, Tyler Hamilton's case, Hamilton, Hamilton verdict and a call for outside expertise, Tyler Hamilton saga..., Tour de France preview...2006!, Klöden comments, Tour de France Training, The New Dynamic Duo, Sheryl Crow, or should we say...Yoko Ono, Random Musings
• April 15: Glenn Wilkinson, USADA and Hamilton, Bergman; so sad, ProTour leader's jersey, That's a Jersey?, Too many chiefs?, Track World Championships, What do you think?
• April 8: The New Dynamic Duo, Boonen's Hairdo, Viral infections and antibiotics, George Hincapie, What do you think?, Track World Championships, VDB?, A little bit more about blood doping, Blood testing issues
• April 1: Well done Ale-jet, Eyes of tigers..., Viral infections and antibiotics, Let's talk about cycling…, What's worth talking about in cycling?, First Ride of the season, The New Dynamic Duo, Blood testing issues, Sydney Thousand, UCI Pro Tour Grand Theft, not Grand Tour
• March 18: The Forgotten Hero!, Way to go Bobby, Bobby J, Lance has lost the ‘Eye of the tiger’, Blood testing issues and Hamilton, With all Due Respect, All this Lance Talk..., Is Lance getting soft?
• March 11: Blood testing issues and Hamilton, Cycling on TV, In Defence of UCI president Hein Verbruggen, Defending the Pro Tour?, Is Lance getting soft?, Lance has lost the "eye of the tiger"
• March 4: In Defence of the Pro-Tour, Grand Tours back down...for now, Armstrong and Simeoni,Help - what’s on the TV?, Cycling on TV, Lance Defends His Title!, Hamilton movie role downplayed, Blood testing issues and Hamilton, I really don't know when it happened
• February 25: Lance Defends His Title!, Build it and tear it down?, Build, dismantle and donate!, Lance's Hour Record attempt, I really don't know when it happened, Can't get enough!, Dream on
• February 18: Build it and tear it down?, Remember Marco, One Reason I Love Cycling, The ongoing Hour Record Saga, Lance’s Hour Record attempt, Can't get enough!
• February 11: One Reason I Love Cycling, Francisco Cuevas, F-One - Come down to earth Lance!, Armstrong and the Hour, Can't get enough!, Greatest of all time
• February 4: F-One - Come down to earth Lance!, Armstrong and the Hour, Armstrong and Simeoni, Can't get enough!, Help, Greatest of all time Eddy is King, but who is second best?
• January 28: "I am the greatest of all time", Armstrong and the Hour Record, F-One - Come down to earth Lance!, Lance Drug Probe, Armstrong and Simeoni, Can’t get enough!, Help, NBC's 2004 RAAM Coverage, Doping, Crash distance from 1km to 3km, Eddy is King, but who is second best?
• January 21: Professional Cyclists, Der Kaiser's Goals, Jan Ullrich's problem = Lance, Rider of the Year, Crash distance from 1km to 3km, Help, Lance vs. Eddy
• January 14: Der Kaiser's goals, Help, Foreign stage races, Lance vs. Eddy, Tour '05, Rider of the Year, Best bikes for heavy riders, Quick Step helmets
• January 7: Death of Dmitri Neliubin, Der Kaiser’s goals, Rider of the Year, Best bikes for heavy riders, Who's Greater? Come on now!, Virenque "most charismatic"?, Downhilling, Downhill time trial, Trendy cyclists, No flat tyres, Spring classics trip advice, Bettini's trainer
• January 3: Spring classics trip advice, Big Bear ends downhilling, Armstrong and Simeoni, Holding teams accountable, Downhill time trial, Trendy cyclists, Bettini's trainer, No flat tyres

Letters 2004

• December 24 letters - Why are cyclists so trendy?, Business and cycling, Big Bear ends downhilling, Off-bike weight gain, No flat tires, Armstrong and Simeoni
• December 17 letters - Business and cycling, Tom versus Axel , Big Bear ends downhilling, Shane Perkins, Spring classics trip advice, Tyler Hamilton, Phonak and the UCI, Why are cyclists so trendy?, Mark Webber interview, Armstrong and Simeoni, Injured and missing it: an update, Clyde Sefton
• December 10 letters - Why are cyclists so trendy?, Big Bear ends downhilling, Floyd's choices?, Merckx, fit and trim, Pound must go, Spring classics trip advice, Tyler Hamilton, Phonak and the UCI, Punishment: Vandenbroucke vs Hamilton, Prosthetic hip, Armstrong and Simeoni, Dave Fuentes, Homeopathy, Jeremy Yates, TDF coverage for Australia, Weight limits and maintenance, Mark Webber interview
• December 3 letters - Domestiques vs Lieutenants, Tyler Hamilton, Phonak and the UCI, Dave Fuentes, Santa vs Hairy Guy, Why are cyclists so trendy?, Mark French and homeopathy, Shane Perkins, Jeremy Yates, Weight limits and maintenance, UCI regulations, Armstrong and Simeoni, Prosthetic hip
• November 26 letters - Mark French and homeopathy, Two big guns in one team, Tyler Hamilton case, Bartoli's retirement, Dave Fuentes, Shane Perkins, Merckx and Armstrong, Training like Lance, Lance Armstrong, Why are cyclists so trendy?, Phonak gets what it deserves, Armstrong and Simeoni, Bike weight, Spouseless riders, Mary McConneloug, Adam Craig, Mark Webber interview, Santa vs Hairy Guy
• November 19 letters - Tyler Hamilton case, Phonak gets what it deserves, Are you there Mr Coates?, Bike Weight, Merckx and Maertens make up, Heart troubles, Where to find cycling spouses, Mark Webber interview, Lance Armstrong, Where's Greg?, What ever happened to..., Why are cyclists so trendy?, Armstrong and Simeoni, l'Etape du Tour registration, Still Laughing
• November 12 letters - Why Armstrong will ride the 2005 Tour, Scott Sunderland, Why are cyclists so trendy?, Armstrong and Simeoni, Where to find cycling spouses, Lance on Italian selection, Heart troubles, l'Etape du Tour registration, Tour 2005 team time trial, What ever happened to..., Love and a yellow bike
• November 5 letters - Love and a yellow bike, Tour 2005, Where to find cycling spouses, Why are cyclists so trendy?, Lance on Italian selection, Armstrong and Simeoni, Tour of Southland, Construction technique for veloway, Heart troubles, l'Etape du Tour registration, Rahsaan Bahati
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