The Mailbag is a regular department on VeloNews.com. If you have a comment, an opinion or observation regarding anything you have read in VeloNews magazine or on VeloNews.com, write to webletters@insideinc.com. Please include your full name, hometown and state or nation. Letters may be edited for length and clarity. Writers are encouraged to limit their submissions to one letter per month. The letters published here contain the opinions of the submitting authors and should not be viewed as reflecting the opinions, policies or positions of VeloNews.com, VeloNews magazine or our parent company, Inside Communications, Inc.

Proctor fan
Dear Editors,
I’ve noticed a trend over the years, whenever the mud slings and the snow flies you always run stories either quoting, or at mentioning Geoff Proctor (see "Into the fray: U.S. 'crossers head to camp"). Now with the emergence of cyclocross as a (dare I say) major part of the racing calendar in this country, how can he be mentioned, quoted, etc. without due justice being paid?

English teacher’s life be damned . . . If someone follows Mr. Page’s path to Europe, is it probable the Mr. Proctor was a part of that mission? Just asking.

And by the way—GO MIDDLEBURY!

All the best to Geoff and everything he’s making happen. Tell him a Sluggy wishes him well! Dude.
Peter B. Erdmann
Palm Beach, Florida

Fashion advice
To the Editor,
Loved the photo gallery of the Astana training camp, but I have to say that Johann has got to do something about those powder blue kits. With the leggings and long sleeves, it's like watching an entire team of toddlers riding bikes in their PJs.
Michael Johnson
Gorham, Maine

Oh for the love of cycling…
Dear Editor,
Not only do I absolutely agree with Apollo Anderson’s letter titled "Dubious company" (see Wednesday's Mailbag), I’d like to add something to it. I love cycling. I love the whir of free-hub’s in the pack; the fight for the right wheel as a rider maneuvers into position; the assault on competitors when a rider launches an attack on a12-percent grade. I know I’m not the only one.

I also love planning my training season, looking for the latest edge in training tools, diet, and workout strategy. I enjoy the community of riders and the opportunity to tap into their knowledge and experience so that I can excel (thank you Dan Casebeer). I know that I’m not the only one.

My ideal vacation is to take a trip to the Tour de France, drink Belgian ale till my tonsils float, throw on a Speedo, grab my American Flag, and be that annoying fan we see running alongside the pros on the videos we purchase.

I know that I’m not the only one. I’m sure that many of you have spouses who cringe every time you set foot inside a local bike shop (LBS). I remember college roommates deciding between food and race fees, cars and bikes, and yes, even dating versus training. I’m sure some of you have even considered making your children work their way through college rather than part with that dream of a new 55GSM lay-up frame with the 580 gram, integrated crank, complete with a 40mm deep-profile, all-carbon wheel set.

We, in cycling spend a significant amount of time and small fortunes to enjoy our habit; enjoying science and technology that were once unheard of in the ‘80’s and ‘90’s. The opportunities for making money off guys like me are endless.

All of this profit potential wouldn’t be possible without honest pioneers like Greg LeMond who inspired us when we were young. If the growing market perceptions of blatant deception and shady ethical decision-making (i.e. Disco and Basso; Botero and Rock, Operation Puerto, etc.) continue, I don’t see our sport or the industry surviving. I believe we love honest heroes. Don’t we equate honesty with heroism? Do we not conceptualize Sport with honest competition?

Our Sport must recognize that honesty is in its best interest. If we lose honesty in our Sport, we lose our heroes; and if that happens, we lose our inspiration. If the market loses its enthusiasm for the sport, what do we think will happen to the sponsors? Eventually USA Cycling and the LBS?
Jason Murphy
Madison, Wisconsin

Hey, here’s a cause for ya
Dear Editors,
After reading Legally Speaking the other day I got to wondering when an American pro cyclist will take up the cause of the American cyclist.

It seems that pros are more than eager to start up a charitable foundation for any number of good causes, yet the spotlight never shines on the plight cyclists’ rights. I don’t want to disparage any of the current and former riders whose foundations do good work, but how about using some of your celebrity to better cycling in the United States?

They should use their clout to help those who enjoy riding for the sheer fun of it. Lance has it seems turned away from cycling and focuses his efforts (and understandably so) on the LAF. Tyler and Floyd have been disgraced and tainted. Who that leaves us at this juncture is George Hincapie, Levi Leipheimer and Chris Horner for big name Americans and only because of their results in the Tour (which we all know is pretty much the only cycling event non cycling fans pay attention to in this country).

Maybe because they spend a lot of time in Europe and not in the States they have forgotten what it is like to ride here. So I say to them, why not start a foundation for cyclist’s rights and to promote cycling as an environmentally and healthy alternative.
Chris Wright
Exeter, New Hampshire

The Code
Dear editors,
With regards to the latest WADA code changes, I find the change to athletes' ability to challenge lab test results for any violation in ISL standards absurd. Due process has been ignored yet again and
opens the door for more laboratory laziness. To expect riders to live to a higher standard than the testers is simply wrong. It appears to be yet another move by WADA to destroy the credibility of their policies and the sport of cycling.
Dan Barber
Danvers, Massachusetts