Home » Top Stories » News and Features »

Wednesday's Mailbag: Cycling legend John Sinibaldi passes on; the scoop on Meirhaeghe; plus Millar, Vino' and us (blush)

Published: Jan. 11, 2006
John Sinibaldi
John Sinibaldi

The Mailbag is a regular feature on VeloNews.com. If you have a comment, an opinion or observation regarding anything you have seen in cycling, in VeloNews magazine or on VeloNews.com, write to WebLetters@InsideInc.com. Please include your full name and home town. Letters may be edited for length and clarity.

John ‘The Legend’ Sinibaldi passes on
Editor:
John "The Legend" Sinibaldi, passed away in his sleep January 10 at 10:40 am. He was 92 years old, and had a short battle with lung cancer. Luckily he was not in any pain, and died peacefully with his family by his side.

John's legacy as a cyclist will not soon be forgotten, as few if any cyclists will ever achieve what he did: national champion 18 times; Olympian in 1932 and 1936; U.S. Bicycling Hall of Fame inductee in 1997; national record holder. His cycling career spanned an amazing 77 years, all on it on top of the national amateur picture. He won his first national-level race in 1928; his last national championship was this year at the USA Cycling Masters National Road Championships. A conservative estimate puts his lifetime mileage at well over a half-million miles.

However, his cycling legacy extends far beyond his own accomplishments. John spent the better part of the past 30 years promoting cycling as a sport, encouraging new cyclists to participate and helping all cyclists realize their potential. For more than seven decades John was an informal ambassador for our sport, and he always rejoiced when someone new arrived for his or her first group ride.

In addition to his cycling, John's other big passion was his garden, 50 feet deep and 90 feet wide. He grew most anything imaginable, and his produce was legendary. John spent most of his life with his hands in the soil, and often seemed most content when tilling the earth. Before she died, his wife, Betty, asked him this question: If something forced him to give up one of his two passions (cycling and gardening), which would it be? Surprisingly, he said he'd give up cycling as long as he could continue to tend to his garden.

John was able to work in the garden right up until a week or so ago, and had tomatoes, onions, strawberries, pineapples, cabbage and other fresh vegetables and fruits all coming in. He was happy just knowing that the garden was still being nurtured (my brother, Robert, has been diligently helping him keep it up).

John had a long and productive life, and lived and died with great dignity.

One of John's last volunteer roles was the annual Diabetes Challenge bicycle ride to raise money for the American Diabetes Association. Betty had diabetes for the last 15 years of her life, and John always supported the efforts of the Diabetes Challenge to raise money for the ADA through cycling. So, in lieu of flowers, John requested that donations be made to the American Diabetes Association, and mailed to:

American Diabetes Association
C/O E. J. Bradley
101 Dunbar Avenue, Suite F
Oldsmar, FL 34677

E. J. "Bud" Bradley chairs the Diabetes Challenge, and will make sure that the donations are credited to the Diabetes Challenge bicycle ride per John's request.

Funeral arrangements are in care of:

Gee & Sorensen Funeral Home
3180 30th Avenue North
St. Petersburg, FL 33713
727-323-5111
Viewing: 6-8 p.m. Friday, January 13
Services: 1 p.m. Saturday, January 14
Reception to follow immediately at John Sinibaldi, Sr.'s house at 3212 30th Street North, St. Petersburg, FL 33713

If anybody needs any information on my father, please e-mail me.
John Sinibaldi, jr.
St. Petersburg, Florida

We remember meeting John Sinibaldi at master's nationals in 1995. It was a friend of his who told us of Sinibaldi's exploits as a young man. Sinibaldi himself was quite humble about his Olympic experience, noting that the main reason he rode bikes "is because it makes me feel so good." His outlook is a reminder of just how great this sport can be. We hope to honor him in the best way we can: with a nice long ride. Cheers, John. — Editor

How about the scoop on Meirhaeghe?
Editor:
Nice job in pointing out the truth of David Millar's penance (see Monday's Mailbag: "Millar's welcome; what about Hamilton?"). Any chance you can investigate Filip Meirhaeghe's oft-reputed and sadly insane 57 hematocrit at the '98 mountain-bike world’s in Switzerland? Honest cyclists supporting VeloNews everywhere deserve your efforts.

Jeff Burnard
Portland, Oregon

Well, Jeff, for starters, the 1998 world’s were at Mont-Ste.-Anne, Québec; the ’97 world’s, where Meirhaeghe and three others were not allowed to start, were in Château d’Oex, Switzerland. Marti Stephen, our reporter on the scene, wrote in our October 6, 1997 issue that a UCI statement said only that 32 racers had been tested and no one else had been barred from racing. "Nothing more was mentioned, not even the purpose of the tests," she wrote. A press conference called by Team Volvo-Cannondale the morning of the senior world championships, however, "made it clear that the tests involved hematocrit levels and were part of the UCI’s intended program to test for the use of EPO," she added. A cursory search of subsequent hard copies of VeloNews yielded nothing further beyond a threat from our librarian, who has tweaked an Achilles tendon, to spill some editorial hematocrit if we keep making him hobble up and down the stairs leading to our basement archives. Still, one can learn plenty about Meirhaeghe’s philosophy, choices and the consequences thereof here and here. — Editor

Millar can dream the dream, even on suspension
Editor:
I do believe that Mike Pearson answered his own question about pro racers hanging out with the guys while on suspension (see Monday’s Mailbag: "How does Millar get hired on suspension?"). The rules say they can't race, but it doesn't mean they can't have a life! I mean, just because a driver has had his license lifted for doing something stupid on the road doesn't mean he can't sit behind the wheel of a Maserati on the showroom floor, play with the steering wheel while wearing $300 Italian sunglasses and dream the dream, now does it?

Expect my bill for $3 for all the hard work I did to come to this observation to show up shortly in your mailbox.

Susan Moore
Seattle, Washington

Another nod for Vino’ and unpredictability
Editor:
I 'll throw my hat into the same ring with Bill Jackson who picked Alexandre Vinokourov for the 2006 Tour de France victor.

I think a rider like Vino’ exhibits the "rouge" style of racing that we'll see emerge from teams that cannot emulate the structure/formula that Discovery has. Back in the 1990s Banesto used it very well with Miguel Indurain. And this ends up being refreshing for me as a fan. Less predictability and more sparks flyin'.

Chuck Scarpelli
Santa Rosa, California

We get a pat on our journalistic back
Editor:
I don't know exactly what's gotten into the journalistic drinking water out there in Colorado, but the healthy cynicism, humor and, well, truth, that you guys have displayed in your responses to letters like those of Ms. Garren and Mr. Pearson (See both in Monday’s Mailbag) are as invigorating as any pseudo-jounalism, of any kind, I've been unhealthily exposed to out here in the East.

VeloNews has proven itself to be, in my mind, a publication worthy of the label of "journalism." With so much hagiography, ignorant parroting and mindless blather regarding cycling, you guys have managed to summon the. — gumption, I'll call it — to really do your homework and call it like it is.

Like many cyclists of all stripes, I don't need to worship heroes. If I were that sheeplike, I'd sell my bike and drive my car in NASCAR highway fantasyland like everyone else. Why is it somehow blasphemous to question the ethical choices of cyclists, like some of your readers suggest? Lance Armstrong was an awesome talent. That doesn't make him perfect or god-like or even a nice guy. He was an awesome talent; that's all I know. I want to know more, but uninformed, sentimental gushing and gossipy second-hand news (which you guys have avoided) are worthless information. Was he honest? Did he cheat? That's for you journalists to find out, and I'm depending on you to do it (ditto for Tyler Hamilton, Tugboat, etc). Your editorial courage gives me reason to believe the truth may out through your pages.

The closest I've come to hero worship is Greg LeMond, I'll admit it. But dammit, he may have deserved it (I've written you about that before). Like many cycling iconoclasts, I just want to ride and see a good race every now and then, and I depend on the journalists to answer the "dissing Armstrong is unpatriotic" morons. And I think you guys have done a good job in that respect.

So, thanks, keep it up. We're depending on you.

Bob Tamburri
Chaplin, Connecticut

Thanks, Bob. The check’s in the mail. Best to Mom. — Editor

The Mailbag is a regular feature on VeloNews.com. If you have a comment, an opinion or observation regarding anything you have seen in cycling, in VeloNews magazine or on VeloNews.com, write to WebLetters@InsideInc.com. Please include your full name and home town. Letters may be edited for length and clarity.