The mysterious disappearing forum, cable wars and Floyd

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• Keep it short. And remember that we reserve the right to edit for grammar, length and clarity.
• Include your full name, hometown and state or nation.
• Send it to webletters@insideinc.com.

A funny thing happened on the way to the forum
Dear Editors,
I do subscribe to VeloNews.

I also enjoy the forum and now it is gone from the website. Am I missing a link somewhere?
Where is the forum?
Thank you
Eric Olsen Vicki

Dear Eric,
Yours is just one of dozens of letters we’ve received over the past day. You are not missing a link. It is currently not on the site, but it will be there soon. The forum that you are used to using was the last element of the old VeloNews.com that we kept running. It was our hope to have the new version up and running by the start of the New Year. Our chief tech guy, Scott Cropper, is putting the finishing touches on the new forum and he says it should be on the site very soon. We will have a new format, with more options. One drawback is that you will have to re-register as a member, so keep an eye open for the link to appear on VeloNews.com within the next day or so. – Editor

Go to the top?
Dear Velo,
Regarding your recent Explainer column on the Cable TV battles over the Versus network, I’m not sure if this has been mentioned in this venue before, but perhaps writing ASO to put pressure on Comcast from their end would help get VS back on DirecTV. I’m sure that they are not pleased with the prospect of a sizable portion of their viewers in the U.S. being unable to watch their events, which would in turn impact the revenue they get from their partners. Given that one of the ASO’s properties, the Dakar Rally, is currently underway, now might be a good time to contact ASO, Comcast and DirecTV about getting VS back on the air.

• ASO – asotv@aso.fr
• Comcast – 1-800-266-2278
• DirecTV – 1-800-531-5000

Anthony Carrell
Chattanooga, Tennessee

Fair and balanced cycling?
Dear fellow cyclists,
I was excited about Team Sky … right up to the point of hearing who the financier is. Rupert Murdoch?!?!? Damn-it! Now he is involved in the sport I love. I’ll let you all do your own research, but all you really need is just two words: Fox“News.”

Being half British, I was looking forward to some exciting stuff from the group, however not sure about the stacked team and breaking of all of the contracts to join (Ben Swift being the most recent).

Did I read where UCI may look into preventing contract breaching for the future? I’m not all about the legal ins and outs of everything, because, well that just doesn’t affect me, but I just hate to see the Dollar, Euro, Pound, or whatever currency is worshiped, play such huge part.

Alright, I can’t blame the riders. I suppose, they want to ride and they want to win, surround yourself with talent and good things will happen, but with Rupert Murdoch connected in any way … damn. I guess I won’t allow myself to research any of the other sponsors, so I can leave my politics out of riding.

I do like the Dogmas, though. Pinarello creates some beautiful bikes.

I am looking forward to VeloNews coverage of the race season!

Thanks for letting me rant, I’m okay now.
Randy Young
Mitchell, Indiana

Keepin’ the faith
Dear Velo,
I am hating all the sports end-of-decade lists, with Floyd Landis being named as one of the big “no gooders” of the 2000s.

If any of these sports writers had weighed the evidence, they would have second and third thoughts about lumping him in with the rest of cycling’s dopers. They should have actually read Landis’ book, considered all the scientific evidence he had, including that which they were unable to introduce, and the fact that the UCI, WADA and USADA have such a stranglehold on how these “trials” are conducted. It’s really no wonder no pro cyclist has ever won a case,

I know this is years too late, but I feel so bad for Mr. Landis and his cycling fate.

Brave on, Floyd!
Nolan Winkler
Hillsboro, New Mexico

FILED UNDER: Mailbag