Friday’s Mailbag: RAAM on NBC, Lance, that Mount Snow course and disco fever

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.

I’m sure cyclists agree our sport does not get on the national networks nearly often enough. Well, on January 22, the Insight Race Across America will be aired on NBC for two hours, from 2.30 p.m. – 4.30 p.m. (local variations apply).

Twenty-five camera operators were used to gain an up-close-and-personal look into what it takes for bike riders to make the crossing from San Diego to Atlantic City in only eight days. Talk about the agony and the ecstasy; this show has both in spades. The show is rich with stories from the road, and the action is more on the emotional/psychological level than the typical mix of race action.

This is a foot in the door for domestic-based cycling. To encourage NBC to air more cycling shows, I urge all cyclists to call NBC to thank them for putting cycling on national broadcast The NBC viewer relations number is 212-664-2333, press 4 and say, “Great job with the Race Across America show.”

If cyclists don’t make the effort to give positive feedback, who else will?

Paul Skilbeck
San Francisco, California

Let Lance race where and when he pleases
Editor:
I’m writing in response to Bill Bundy’s letter (see Monday’s Mailbag: “What would Eddy do?”). My question to Bill is, “Who cares?” The Tour may be the largest, most well known race to fans and important to many pros, but who is Bill Bundy to assume that it’s still the most important to Lance?

Lance has clearly stated a desire to race the other grand tours and to try seriously to win some of the more coveted classics. We all know that Lance doesn’t have many years left as a pro and while he’s still able to race at the level he’s shown us he’s capable of, why should he spend more time just adding to a record that is already his?

I hope Lance doesn’t succumb to the pressures of his fans, but instead follows his heart, whether that means racing the Tour or not. Oh, and to make Mr Bundy happy, please remind him that he’s under contract to race the Tour at least once while with Discovery.

Michael Bailey
Louisville, Kentucky

Lance should try racing a full season
Editor:
I see there is some concern over whether Lance will ride the Tour or not. Lance may be a great Tour rider but that is all. He has not participated in a whole spring campaign and then rode the Tour in July. I say if Lance wants to be considered one of the greats of cycling he has to race from February through till October. When he can do that and still ride roughshod over the competition, then he will be a great cyclist. That’s what Eddy did and he was the greatest cyclist of all time. Phil Renaud
Brantford, Ontario, Canada

Uh, about that Mount Snow course …
Editor:
Just a quick comment regarding Mr. Nichols’s observations about the 1999 Mount Snow NORBA that Mr. Armstrong participated in (see Monday’s Mailbag: “Heck, Lance can ride anything”). This is not meant to diminish Mr. Armstrong’s skills, or even offer any opinion about them. But the 1999 Mount Snow course was in fact made easier when it was known that he was going to be there.

Many of the East Coast riders were not happy about this. The general sentiment was, if he wants to enter, great – but don’t change the course for him. So the course that Mr. Nichols saw was the “dumbed-down” version of a Mount Snow course.

Brian McLaughlin
Norway, Maine

Disco fever
Editor:
Since the new slang name for the Discovery Channel Team is “disco,” and Trek provides the hardware they ride, does that mean we can refer to their bikes as “discotreks”?

Cory Kramer
Parker, Colorado

No. –Editor

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