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The masked apology and Armstrong's comeback

Published: Sep. 17, 2008

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Re: Masked men (and women)
Editor,

When I first saw the story about the “scandal” of the dust masks on the US athletes, I thought what a load of BS. The USOC gives them the masks and then throws the riders under the bus for wearing them.

As far as I am concerned the entire US Athlete delegation should have protested the USOC’s treatment of the athletes. I personally think there was no legitimate reason to allow China to hold the Olympics, but that is another letter to a different group.

USOC Chief Executive Officer James E. Scherr should be called on the carpet. To wait this long, you have to be kidding me. That very day he should have had the guts to say the cyclist were only doing what they were recommended to do by the USOC and if there is any apology, which I think there was no need for, it should have been personally to the athletes right there and then!

USOC you should be ashamed!
Jeff Mertz
Waukee, Iowa

Re: The Comeback
Editor,

Here's an idea for Lance on his comeback: If he really wants to show the world he still has enough ability to win another Tour, why not go to anothercteam and take on Contador head to head?

If he in fact signs with Astana, which appears to be an inevitability, he's already eliminating one of hiscpotential rivals. And for all intents and purposes, Contador would be his biggest threat. Signing with Astana and effectively taking out a significant portion of his competition doesn't show me he's all that confident he can still vanquish everyone else in the peloton.
Michael Drakulich
Tinley Park, Illinois

Re: The German Reaction

Dear Editor,

I am completely baffled by German television broadcaster ARD's recent comment that it "isn't amused" by Armstrong's plan to come out of retirement.

"The future belongs to young riders, certainly not to Armstrong's generation which we had hoped to have seen the last of," says ARD.

There are amazing riders in the peloton today of "Armstong's generation," including Tour winner Carlos Sastre.

Ricardo "The Doping Cobra" Ricco is of the "new" generation, so what does ARD make of him?

Doping is about personal integrity more than the year you were born, so why doesn't ARD focus on the real problem — getting rid of the dopers, regardless of age or somebody's personal feelings towards them.

Onward and upward,
Nick Hack
San Francisco, California

The Comeback
Editor,

Do you really think that Johan Bruyneel is that desperate to go back to the past and relive the good old days? Heck no! He’s moved on with his life to support a vision of the future.

How about Contador? After three major grand tour wins, will he throw his opportunity to come back to Paris as the new favorite? Or would he rather support a rider out of retirement, just so he can enhance his ego?

I rest my case!

If Armstrong wants to come back and come back into the spotlight, I suggest he do the Ironman, which will not subject him to the endless unwanted publicity that he wants to avoid.

This way, too, Armstrong will have retained his unblemished record in cycling, scored kudos in the cycling community, new and old, and highlighted the real star of attention: awareness of cancer and its hopeful cure in the future.
Bob Crowley
Royal Oak, Michigan

More
Editor,

I like many other cyclists are amazed in the news of Lance’s return.

I am also very happy. This will be a shot of adrenaline and Peet’s Coffee that American cycling needs.

It would seem that age is not a factor as it once was. Swimmers winning medals at 41, Tyler Hamilton winning the US Pro Championship at 36 gives me at 52 hopes that I too can perform at top levels. (OK, compete in the local crit without getting dropped by kids young enough to be my sons.)

This news will guarantee that Versus will show any races Lance shows up to race. Is ten times too much to ask for Mr. Armstrong? More power to the mature athlete to perform and race longer into life.
John Craig,
San Ysidro, California

A Vuelta distraction
Editor,

For a guy who maybe wants to join Astana, Armstrong isn't doing either his potential future teammates or team and sponsor any favors with the timing of his announcement!

He's displacing their Vuelta accomplishments from the headlines where they belong, to almost secondary ranking (at least in some countries). He's adding an extra dimension of distraction for the riders at a time when they need to focus on the race without dealing with niggles of uncertainty about the future of the team and their goals, and answering unanswerable questions from the sports reporters.

It doesn't help anyone but himself when he unilaterally links himself to any team or director without clearing it with them first. It all comes across, to me, as pique over the attention Contador is getting?

Armstrong can be applauded as a great athlete and cancer research advocate but it seems to me that he has an ego that exceeds his value to any team and he is showing by his lack of consideration that he really isn't a nice person and probably spells team with two i's to make the "ea" sound.
Leo Smit,
Mt Uniacke, Nova Scotia, Canada