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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Small change for big event
Editor,
This is disheartening. If San Francisco fails to continuewith its support of this imrpressive race I have lost hope in thiscountry ever truly caring for, or even respecting, cycling.Sad, sad, sad!I know that we need to run our cities efficiently, but let's face it,cities spend considerably more money on other areas of self-promotion sowhy can't a world class sporting event be one of them. This is one of thewealthiest cities in the United States. I have lived there and believeme, as much as I paid in rent for my crumby lower haight st apartment,many nicer places charge quadruple + and people pay it so obviously thereis money in the city.All I can say is if this event is cancelled for a lack of $183,000,or whatever the amount was, then this is a true signal of cycling's realisticplace in America.No Lance, no care.
Gavin Douglas
Louisville, KentuckyWhat's up with Rudy?
Editor:
What is the deal with Rudy Pevenage?  He is  quoted in yourEurofilecolumn of November 14th  exhorting Jan Ullrich to do the Girorather than  the Tour de Suisse for Tour de France prep next year. Why am I hearing about this before Jan has made his decision?Doesn't Rudy have Jan's e-mail address or phone number?
 
My guess is that you will not find a single instance in past yearswhen Bruyneel used the mass media to attempt to persuade his star riderto take a monumentally dodgy course of action, especially considering theseriously vertical nature of next year's Giro!
Jeremy E. McHugh
Boston, MassachusettsThat extra effort in training
Dear VeloNews,
Regarding the new dads mentioned in MichaelBarry's most recent diary entry, me thinks George and Michael needto get some bike trailers to tow the kids along on those mountain trainingrides.  That'll slow them down... at least a bit!
Rich Wilson
Santa Barbara CaliforniaIt's a great idea, Rich... as long as USA Cycling and the UCI don'ttry to muscle in and start sanctioning a new form of  "VeloDaddy"race events, with double the entry and license fees and separate categoriesfor trailers and trail-a-bikes. - EditorRemembering a friend
Dear VeloNews,
I just read that Clay Mankin, owner of City Cycle of San Franciscopassed away while riding his bike on Sunday, November 13, apparently of natural causes.When I lived in San Francisco, I worked for one of Clay's competitors,Tony Tom at A Bicycle Odyssey, across the Golden Gate Bridge in Sausalito,from 1994-2001. That did not keep me from frequenting City Cycle on manyan occasion, both as a patron and as a friend.

Clay was an incredibly kind and gentle man, who many times helped meout when I needed assistance, and couldn't wait until I got to Sausalito.When I didn't have the cash to pay for something, he would let me put iton account and take care of it later when I had the money.Clay Mankin was one of the few bike shop owners that always placed customerservice first, which is what helped him build such a large and loyal clientele.The Bay Area cycling scene has lost one of its most cherished members.Clay Mankin will be sorely missed. My heartfelt condolences go out to hiswife, Alison, and to the staff and clients of City Cycle.
Steven L. Sheffield
Salt Lake City, Utah
 
 

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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.