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Business Karma; I'm gonna wash that dope right outta my hair and more
VeloNews.com welcomes your letters. If you run across something inthe pages of VeloNews, or see something on VeloNews.com that causesyou to want to write us, drop us a line at WebLetters@7Dogs.com.Please include your full name and home town. By submitting mailto this address, you are consenting to the publication of your letter. What goes around comes aroundEditors,Regarding the Ibisbankruptcy:Karma, Roger, Karma.Michael Sylvan
SeattleP.S. My most sincere condolences to Scot Nicol and all the goodpeople who worked at Ibis. Your bikes were beautiful, and the companyitself did not deserve this fate.There are some vets that deserve attentionHi VeloNews,
Seeing André Tchmil and Dimitri Konyshev continue to shine leadsme to beg you to do a feature on these two classy veterans.One of the single best finish line photos ever has to be that awesomepicture of Greg LeMond crossing the finish line at the '89 worlds nippingSean Kelly and Konyshev by oh so little.And the spring classics will certainly miss the likes of Tchmil andhis gladiator mentality when he finally steps down this summer to beginhis life away from the peloton.As much as I would like to see George Hincapie take the top step ofthe podium at Roubaix this year, my co-favorite is certainly the grittyLotto man in his swan song season.Scott Broaddus
Richmond, VirginiaDyed in the wool dopers?Velo,Last week during the women's down hill skiing in Salt Lake, the announcermade a comment that hair dye can mask performance drugs. Is thattrue?Have you ever heard of that before and is it why some of the Euro-prosgo through the rainbow with their hair? Or was I hearing things andit's just a fashion statement?T.N. GwynneAnyone? -- EditorYellow line fever cured by Tour de Strip MallEditor;Forget about racing on open roads.For a five stage race, find five shopping malls (strip malls will doif the rear of the mall is clear enough to make a circuit) and hold theraces in the evenings or in the early morning when the stores aren't open. Let the Crit Monkeys reign supreme!Pros like Gordo and Henk should love the easy pickings.......beats sufferingin the chill of Spring in Northern Europe.
Brian Lafferty
Longmeadow, MAHey why not pay attention to ....?Dear VeloNews,Here's one for you: How about some attention to grassroots racing. The races that get organized/promoted to grow the sport, despite a lackof support from USA Cycling.See the following link for a good example MurrysvilleCycling Classic.Regards
Fred Baldassare
Murrysville, PAOf course, Fred doesn't mention that he's one of the promoters ofsaid event. -- EditorTuesday's MailbagMore drug questions must be askedThe final scandal of the Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City involvingcross country skiers and the use of the drug darbepoetin illuminates thefacade of reporting currently practiced in the cycling world. Headlinesin VeloNews and other cycling periodicals blare that the trial ofDr. Michele Ferrari is an attempt for "cycling to come clean" - what ajoke. The fact that the "big drug" that is being discussed at the trialand in the cycling press, EPO, only confirms that the cycling federations,corporate sponsors, legal establishments, and more importantly, the cyclingpress are not interested in really exposing the doping that is going onin the peloton.
The use of EPO in cycling is at least a decade and a half old - haveno other drugs with performance enhancing attributes been developed bypharmaceutical companies? The cycling press would have us believe so, yetwe have to hear about darbepoetin from NBC or CNN, the most generic ofnews sources, instead of the specialized cycling reporters and editorsthat our subscription and advertising dollars are paying for.
It's easy to sympathize with the cycling press, however, because dopingis bad for the industry that they are dependent upon so they, like theteam sponsors, turn a blind eye to doping until someone gets caught. Thisstrategy unfortunately will result in a cycling fan base that will turnaway from racing and towards the mellower, recreational aspects of cycling.At a time when cycling is poised to take on a higher level of visibilityin areas outside of Europe, the upcoming reports of fraud and scandal coulddisastrously set cycling back another 20 years.
It is interesting to note that even when the cycling press reportsabout that old stable horse, EPO, not too many questions are asked. Thenew EPO testing procedures were calmly accepted by the press as a "majorstep towards cleaning up the sport" with very little follow up.
Rumors have reached even the navel-gazing United States that thereare "traceless" batches of EPO available from sources in Eastern Europe, thus nullifying the new EPO test. There have been rumors of other drugs like darbepoetin for years, but none of these drugs are mentioned or investigated by the press to any visible degree. Is the cycling press telling us that they have no friends in the peloton that they can talk to about these allegations?
What about the recently retired riders who are pursuing careers outsideof cycling? What about the American cyclists who are literally infiltratingthe peloton in increasing numbers? Can we find no one to talk even anonymouslyabout their new experiences and the new pressures that they must be under,to take the injections or get out of the race? Are idolized rider is only"technically" telling the truth: "I don't dope" meaning "I don't take anythingthat's currently on the banned list".
Until the cycling press starts asking these hard questions and gettingsome real answers, we can only be so enthusiastic about reading the racereports - there are too many questions in the back of everyone's mind.Tom Lewis
Pittsfield, MA"Traceless" EPO is not the issue. The Epogen manufactured by Amgenclosely resembles that produced by the human body itself. Thus far, thebest the UCI has come up with is a urine test developed by the French national anti-doping laboratory, which has managed to distinguish subtle molecular differences between natural and recombinant EPO. The problem with that test is that it is effective for just three days, while the drug itselfis effective for two to three weeks. There was a more effective blood-basedtest developed in Australia, but it has failed to receive approval becauseit triggered a false positive during its review process.Officials at the World Anti-Doping Agency suggest that Amgen's newest product -- Aranesp (darbepoetin-alfa), also known as "Nesp" -- may not have a significant impact on sport because it is much easier to detect, since it is a purely synthetic drug and does not resemble its natural counterpart.Sad to say, that by the time testers catch up with Nesp, or whatevernew concoction is out there, the dopers and the sports pharmacologiststhat work with them are on to something else. Unless we develop an injectableform of moral character, we may be in for a long fight. And now we returnto gazing at our collective navels. -- EditorMore dope on dopeEditor;I was about to send a letter regarding dope, when I saw the letter fromJohn Riley of Cheshire CT (See "NoMore Dope Articles").My plan for this letter remains unchanged: I prefer to have coverageof doping scandals and coverage of Ferrrari etc. I read Massacrel'Chain by Willy Voet when it was first translated, and want to knowmore about our sport.I do not want this drug use to be a collective secret in bicycling,boxing, European football, American football, swimming or any other sport.Please continue to shine a light in the dark corners.Also note, that I have great respect for Lance Armstrong, and expectthat he is comparatively clean.Bruce Taylor
Cheshire, CT.And Look! We have more letters on the Valley of the Sun! - EditorRegarding Mr. O'Grady from WestcliffeDear Sirs,Having testified in "Yellow line" wrongful death lawsuits and maintainedthe lawsuit/claims (including several racing deaths) file for "Them Feds"from '84-'90, please let Mr. O'Grady from Westcliffe (see "Andnow a message from the lunatic fringe") know that this "madness" ashe mentioned, has not stopped.Same Them Fed issues, just another decade. They do try hard, though.Andy Bohlmann
Colorado springs, COAndy Bohlmann, who has been seen on several occassions in the companyof Mr. O'Grady from Westcliffe, served as Technical Director of theUSCF from 1984 to 1990. -- EditorPromoters are not at faultThe disqualification problem that occurred at Valley of The Sun is soobviously not the race promoter's or official's problem. In spiteof this, all anger is turned on the messenger, who then leaves the sport(witness the promoter'sletter from Feb 22nd) because racers have improperly identified thecause of the problem.
The real problem lies in the lack of political support for runningthese kinds of races safely. The yellow line rule was created to deal withthis lack. If you want to do something, really DO something with your misdirectedangst towards the race promoters and officials- write to your local, stateand national governing bodies, or join and contribute money to a Nationalorganization that addresses these selfsame political problems.
Race promoters and officials should be commended for being able toput on high quality races (heck, even low quality races- it's a race, atleast!!), within the confines of the ongoing bike-hostile political environment.We all know how difficult it is to work at a job with/for a boss or customerwho doesn't appreciate us. Try working for months without pay for a groupof people who will ultimately gang up on you and blame you for their badexperience when you were stuck between a rock and a hard place before theracers even toed the line. Things get said- he said, she said- but to takethe demands of the officials and the subsequent DQ's personally- seemsto be misguided.
They yellow line rule does exist for your safety- even thoughyou block this information out as inconvenient to your personal agenda.I know, I know- I raced, I hated the yellow line rule like any of you,but still DQ is better than deaths. And it's better than not havinga race at all, even though this is now the case for VOS.
Still, you racers must think about the consequences of being negativeto your best friends- the race promoters. One single pointed comment canruin a race promoter- often a volunteer enthusiast- for life. And has.I am personally saddened by this loss, and I think you should be, too.Complaints don't much change things you would wish to, especially whenit's directed not at the government agencies involved. Only then can theclimate change. And you must invest time in energy and money in that change,personally. All the complaining in the world doesn't do anything but ruinrace promotion, an already largely money-losing, volunteer effort run bythose people who should be your best friends.
Try to remember a few things here:
1) Government agencies -necessary to run any race- ofvarious kinds don't know or understand cycling. There is no general mandateto accommodate or understand the cyclist's needs- cars come first, andbicycles a distant second- oh and with a heavy price tag for their sanction.Also, they don't care much for your event, the only agenda the generalgovernment agency is going to have (there are exceptions) is lack of negativepolitical impact to their agency. a) Some of their concerns are- lack of injury/death,road usage for cars, and money being brought into their town.
Notice how your race experience is often nowhere on their agenda. Ittakes years of work and cooperation to get to know and foster a good relationshipwith government agencies and policing forces just to put on a race at all,anywhere in the U.S. This is even true in France, where many bike racesare held, and the Tour De France -I heard- was written into the Frenchconstitution....
2) Officials and race promoters have conflicting agendasto deal with- you only have yours. Race officials and promoters have totry to walk a line between safety and racers enjoying the race free ofdisqualification. You, the racer must understand this.
One of my favorite quotes is appropriate here:
This is the true joy in life: the being used for a purpose recognizedby yourself as a mighty one; the being thoroughly worn out before you arethrown on the scrap heap; the being a force of nature, instead of a feverishselfish clod of ailments and grievances, complaining that the world willnot devote itself to making you happy. I am of the opinion that my lifebelongs to the whole community, and as long as I live it, it is my privilegeto do whatever I can. I rejoice in life for its own sake. Life is no briefcandle to me; it is a sort of bright torch which I have got hold of fora moment and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handingit on to future generations. - George Bernard Shaw
Try to remember yourself as a part of the cycling community and notjust following your own agenda. Rather than shooting the messenger- orcomplaining with selfish bitterness- try to understand the full perspectivebefore making your complaints known to the race promoter. Develop a relationshipwith the race promoters and officials at races small or large, and I thinkyou will find that perspective. It's imperative to our sport to do this.It is these friendships and wish to help the sport that race promotersenter this thankless and often downright hostile and money-losing enterprise.They do it for you.
Thanks,
Regis ChapmanIf you can't do the time, don't do the crimeI was not at the Valley of the Sun race. However, being a seasonedrace promoter with over thirteen years experience, I believe the racersneed to know a little more about the intricacies of putting on a worthyevent.We promoters spend way too much time, personal money, sacrifice personalrelationships, and personal well-being to receive the criticism we do. We do this because of our love of the sport. We make the decisionswe do for rider safety, and to make sure we don't have to work the nextten years just to pay off the debt of the race.It is a very rare occasion when I get a rider come up to me and thankme for what I have done. Also, those people come and go quickly. The riders who have a complaint stay around for minutes on end complainingabout why they didn't get a free lap because their cleat came loose.The centerline rule has been a constant since my first race in 1986." If you can't do the time, don't do the crime."
Sincerely,
Perry Felker
Spokane, WAThere are ways to improve a race for pros...This letter is to Tim Bolen promoter of VOS.My take on most of the rider's frustrations is not on how you organizedthe race, but about the officials!And the choices that were made that day! By the officials...not aboutyou and how you organized that race...But I do know for a fact that youopened a closed pro field for a Pro Team who tried to register too latewhen your field was full, you basically buckled under pressure of the ProTeams, which in hindsight I know you realize was a huge mistake –everyonemakes them. I myself do on a daily basis, but you must take some responsibilitiesfor that... of course rider's are going to be angry, it's human natureand you cannot change that...And you can never change my mind aboutcenterline rule, as the cost of it will never out weigh the cost of a life,it is dangerous ... period.I've watched one of my teammates die on a totally enclosed course...canyou imagine the odds you have with one cross of the centerline and youcan be smacked by a huge truck, I never want to see someone die again!You cannot argue that point.My mother promoted races for 12 years, I was an official and workedas staff for Pro Teams before I ever rode as a professional so I reallybelieve I can see things on many levels...I know that if my mother wouldhave received all these letters she would be very defensive and hurt, butit would never stop me for telling her how I felt on the issues that Ifelt were wrong.I believe you do this for the good of the sport, no doubt,and I can understand why you feel the way you do, but I also believe criticismcomes with it also. It's not just the Pros who complain everyonecomplains at bike races it just so happens that pros will be more passionateabout it because it's their job.I hope you continue to put on the race, different field structure maybe,just a PRO race and a separate Cat. I race and so on...I know it'smore money and more time slots, but it's just a thought.Cheers,
Suzanne Sonye
Saturn Cycling Team...but sometimes, it just ain't worth the headacheTim and Janell (promoters of the Valley of the Sun),Here in Durango we promoters of the Four Corners Cup have cured theproblems you are having easily: We simply went back to theroots and there are no incentives for pros to come to our races!No pay, no prize list, no USAC or NORBA membership required (which meansno feeble USAC or NORBA officials to deal with)--it is great!We were foolish enough to try a NORBA race a few years ago and almostquit racing/promoting altogether, but we find that beginners and sportsand even most experts are just happy to have a race!So, forget the whiny pros--only when there are no events for the self-centeredbastards will they learn, and if they don't learn, who cares-- theywon't be at our races!By the way, college racers are even worse--so we don't invite them anymoreeither. And our race participation actually increased! Anotherway to disinvite the SCB's (self-centered bastards) is to schedule yourrace the same week-end as an event that actually tries to please the pros,we have done this successfully.And finally, we just don't have road races anymore--too much hassle,mountain bike racers require no road closures etc., we are always askedwhy we don't do more (any) road races and we simply say "you do it, we'llrace it, but we are not putting one on."Anyway, I feel for you guys and hope you don't get discouraged-thinkof the 760 racers who loved your race and screw those few whiners who didn't.Sincerely,
Rick Callies
Durango, CO
Durango Dirt Lover's race promoterA tally would raise awarenessDear VN:Re-awakened to the benefits of cycling after about 20 years off a bike,I continue to be shocked at the number of cyclists I read of killed onthe road -- and your stories are only about the famous cyclists killed. Many times when friends hear I picked up cycling again, they mention someonethey know killed on the roads.Could VN publish in every issue a running total of those killed or badlyinjured. And readers can send in stories of non-famous friends killed. Who knows what the outcome will be? More awareness. More paved biketrails. Better technology to prevent this. Harsher penalties fordrivers.Please consider this.Thanks,Matthew Pearson
Irvington, New York
Archived letters:Monday, February25February 21 -22, 2002February 13 -20, 2002February 8 -12, 2002
