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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Pros should remember that others work hard, too
Editor:
Keith Williams is dead-on about the pros bugging out early (see Friday’s Mailbag: “What kind of pro passes on a podium shot?”). Assuming the promoters put on a safe, well-run event that lived up to what they promised, it really is in poor taste and bad business for the pros to not give the promoter, and all his associated sponsors, volunteers, participants and spectators, the time for a podium presentation.

All racers, including pros, work hard to show up and get from start to finish, but the promoter works equally hard to put those two lines down. I rarely recall hearing anyone associated with cycling saying there are too many races being put on, so it’s really up to everyone involved to help out.

Greg Troyer
Waterford, Pennsylvania

Make no-shows forfeit some prize money
Editor:
Regarding Keith Williams’s letter about pros not attending the prize presentations on the podium after a race, he is right to be disappointed, along with sponsors, promoters and spectators.

One thing that has been done to combat such disrespectful behavior at some of the bigger races here in Florida is to make it clear to the racers ahead of time that if they get a podium spot and do not show up for the prize presentation after the race, they will forfeit a substantial chunk of whatever prize money they won.

A race promoter has every right to make such a condition part of participation in their event. This has worked well here as a deterrent to the post-race brush-off, and I suggest it be used elsewhere if such a problem exists.

Lloyd Hlavac
Mount Dora, Florida

Forget the podium, dude – Fresno awaits!
Editor:
I was also at the Central Valley Classic (props on a good event) and saw the same thing from Webcor at the criterium on Sunday. Health Net entertained the crowd the whole race with two in the break and then set up a beautiful one-two finish.

I am not big into pageantry but was interested in watching this - even our minion Cat. 4/5 class got the opportunity to stand on the podium. Well, we waited for the thing to get started, and waited, and Mr. Fraser and Mr. Dominguez were definitely still there, but Mr. Dionne must have hit the road.

I know he's familiar with the process of walking on the podium, even the occasional "big-time" podium. After watching his teammates bury themselves to bring back the break that they missed and then he still bails a little early, it left even my uninitiated relatives wondering why. Perhaps they were in such a huge hurry to rush off to enjoy the Fresno culture; I dunno.

James Doyle
Suisun City, California

Some Riis’s pieces on management would be sweet
Editor:
From fulfilling his audacious promise to defeat Miguel Indurain in 1996 to shaping CSC into a top team in just a few years, Bjarne Riis has proven that he has a special talent for motivation and leadership that would be welcome in any industry.

Forget Bill Gates and Jack Welch - I'd like to see Riis write a book on management!

Arlo Leach
Chicago, Illinois

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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.