• Mailbag

Wednesday’s Mailbag: Phonak’s demise, Floyd’s fault? A tragic loss

by VeloNews.com

• August 16, 2006
• Comments Off

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.

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Won’t get fooled again
Editor,
Impressive. We now have three strong cycling teams have folded dueto doping scandals, costing dozens of riders, mechanics and other personneltheir livelihoods. Two of the teams were basically sponsored by Americancompanies – Liberty Seguros [Liberty Mutual] and Phonak [set to be iShares].It is sad to see a sport that is trying so hard to gain an audience andgrow in North America continually getting its credibility pimp slappedback down by a few guys trying to beat the system.Something stinks in cycling. Is it the powers that be (UCI and WADA)?Do team structures encourage cheating? Is it just a few rogue riders lookingfor a little extra? Are Tyler, Floyd, Ivan and Jan guilty? So many questions,so few answers. So little honesty, so many damn excuses. If I want dramaof this caliber, I’ll plop my butt on the couch and watch Hollywood’s latest.The Tour of Utah just rolled through my back door and I had no interestin watching a single stage. I thought about traveling to the Tour of Californianext spring, but I think I’ll save my money for some new bike parts. Iearned them, I deserve them, and I know for a fact I’m not cheating (orgetting railroaded, again we’ll never know) to get them.
Justin Fugate
Ogden, UtahAndy had to know
Editor,
I was greatly disappointed in Andy Rihs’ comments about the Demiseof the Phonak Cycling team being primarily the fault of Floyd Landis forcheating during the Tour de France. What about the other doping scandals and ridersthat have been part of the ‘Dirtiest Cycling Team’ in Professional cyclinghistory? Or at least the worst team at getting away with it. How can thisbe all Floyd’s fault? Maybe being a bit more aware of what is going onwithin your own multi-million dollar investment would have been helpful, Andy.Can you really tell me that after all of the problems Phonak has had inthe past two years that Andy was still under the impression that the cyclistson his team were clean!? Wake up Mr. Rihs!
Brian Tilson
Charleston, West VirginiaHow would you react?
Editor:
Reading the Landis headlines has been tough. The reports have not beenkind, making him out to be a poor fool who comes up with a new excuse ortheory every other day as to how the tests could have been positive whenhe’s positive he didn’t dope.Well, here’s a theory that may help explain a number of his statements:A pro cyclist has virtually everything done for him so he can focus entirelyon training and racing. This royal treatment means that during trainingcamps and races he never has to fill a water bottle, prepare his meals,or even select the ointment for his rub downs. Yet if an illegal substanceis used in any of these situations, with or without the rider’s knowledge,he is held responsible. The case would be the same if he unknowingly accepteda tainted coke from a fan during a race.But the variables over which he has little or no control don’t end there.After blood or urine is given for a doping control, the rider has to praythere are no unsavory or incompetent characters handling his samples andthat his testing is done properly and is not subject to contamination orpolitical agendas. If that seems a tall order, throw in the fact that thelabs and testing in these high profile cases are beyond reproach, as TylerHamilton discovered. The pro cyclist is persecuted for violating any rules,whereas the labs break their own protocol and can leak test results. Whatelse might they do? One can only imagine.Now imagine yourself as a pro cyclist who didn’t dope, but flunked sucha test. What would you do? Well, if you’re an honest, upfront person, you’dprobably turn over every stone to try to figure out how you can prove yourinnocence in a game that is clearly stacked against you. Sound familiar?
Pete Medek
Mansfield, OhioFloyd disappoints
Editor,
Great job by Landis to throw the whole team under the bus, so to speak.I feel that when/if Landis is confirmed by USADA to have doped and theCAS upholds the USADA decision then the riders and staff should combinetheir resources and sue Landis for everything he has. I know that if someonewas responsible in large part for my loss of employment, not unlike ENRON,I would exercise everything within my rights to recover on financial damages.In the end cycling is a business and you should be able to recover damagesfrom those who have wronged you or your livelihood.
E. Petersen
Columbus, OhioEditor,
Aren’t the “A” and “B” samples taken from the same stream of urine,just split into two vials or containers in front of the athlete, then sealedby the athlete? I think people are under the impression that two samplesare taken from the athlete peeing two separate times. I think that’s whyso many were sure the “B” sample would be positive also. Am I wrong?
Blake Barrilleaux
Encinitas,CaliforniaYou are correct, Blake. “A” and “B” samples are simply a single sample divided into two parts, with the intent of confirming the conclusions of the first test with a second round. They are not submitted at separate times. Riders may offer results from other samples – the negative samples that Landis submitted during the Tour, for example – and data from longitudinal medical reports required by the UCI in their defense against a positive as well as experts’ explanations as to why that day’s sample produced a positive result. At this point, all any of us can do is wait for the case to work its way through the system. – EditorFuneral for a friend
Dear VeloNews:
I am writing you from Knoxville, TN. One town over, in Maryvillea recreational cyclist, Jeffery E. Roth was struck andkilled on August 9th while riding on the shoulder of US Route 321,a popular ride route. The driver fled the scene, but was later stoppedand is being charged with criminal homicide.I know that your website sometime reports these incidents to give thecycling community an opportunity to respond and help the victim’s family.If it is possible, could you post a note about this event on your website?A friend of Roth’s family is accepting donations to help Roth’s widowand child get back on their feet during this time. Could you postthis information? If you need to verify anything, I have copied 2different news websites links to the stories in angle brackets below.If policy prevents posting the information about helping the family,could you at least mention the incident to help raise awareness.Any funds can be sent to:

Stephen Hicks
c/o the Roth Family
906 Montvale Station Rd.
Maryville, TN 37803

Thanks for your time,
John Hart
Knoxville, Tennesee

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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.