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. Writers are encouraged to limit their submissions to one letter per month.The letters published here contain the opinions of the submitting authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions, policies or positions of VeloNews.com, VeloNews magazine or our parent company, Inside Communications, Inc.

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Safety gear?
Letter Editor,
The pictureof the guy in Baghdad is priceless. He has a side arm on butno helmet (cycling or other...), go figure. In any event I wish thegentleman in the photo a safe tour and an early trip home to his family.
George M. Mehr
Wayzata, MinnesotaCalifornia’s missing a killer
Editor,
Since Stage 3's Sierra Road climb tops out 20 miles from the finishand Stage 6's final climb, while long, is lumpy and gradual, the Tourof California once again lacks a decisive climb or climbing stage.I have to say, just on the quality of the course alone, this year looksto be another yawner for GC. May the best time-trialist win: boring. Theriders of course make the race, the crowds make it a spectacle, and thecourse will be beautiful, but the GC won't be interesting. Which I thinkorganizers need to get at some point. Decisive climbs matter for multi-daystage races.That's not to say I won't be there on Telegraph hill and along SierraRoad, just like last year.
Brett Lider
San Francisco, CaliforniaWe want a mountain-top!
Dear Editor,
I'm really looking forward to another great Tour of California, however,the only material criticism about the 2006 event was the lack of a mountaintop finish and, thus, lack of suspense other than during a time trial.Unless I didn't read carefully enough, the 2007 route does not seemto have a mountain top finish either. Why not?Meanwhile, surely you must know that we're all waiting to see Robbieand the boys from Predictor-Lotto in the new feminine product kit.So publishing an article about him without a photo was nothing short ofa taunt!
Nicholas Stevens, Esq.
Roseland, New JerseyWe know, we know, counselor. We’ll pop a photo up there as soon as we are able. We promise. In the meantime, we have to remind you that the pregnancy test kit in question isn’t just a feminine product. Hey, it does take two to tango, as they say. No matter what his jersey is advertising, we can all still rest assured that Robbie the Rocket will still sprint like a madman. – EditorHow's about we replace AJ?
Editor,
Well good for A.J. Smith on his quest to find a "Clean Team." (see" Cyclingin the News"). I'm sure that he knows the whole sordid story behindBasso-Discovery down to the last type of needle used.
If he's as squeaky clean as he claims then I'm the "King of England."Who are these people who know it all and know that they know it?
Dennis Noward
Toledo, OhioWe received several letters along the same lines as Dennis’s, butwe opted to dispense with most in favor of a long e-mail we received from Mr. Smith himself. – EditorAn open letter from A.J. Smith
Hello Everyone!
First off, I truly apologize for the story that appeared in the news.I understand your anger towards me, and if I would have read the same article,I would hate me too. If I can say one thing in my defense, it is that thearticle in the paper represented 5 minutes of a two hour interview. Theeditors wanted the story to sell papers and I understand that. My intentionfor the story was to declare war on doping, not on cycling. However, everythingthat the article mentions, is something that I said, I am not denying that.However, I said a lot that was not printed, like, cycling is the greatestand most beautiful sport in the world, no doubt about it.During the interview I continually mentioned that the articleshould not be about the 50 percent (bad estimate) of the riders that aredoping, but about the other 50 percent of the guys who know the other halfis doping, but continue to win and stay clean no matter what the cost.I also said that doping is a problem in cycling because it is by far thehardest sport in the world and there is no other sport that requires asmuch from the human body (at the ProTour level). Also, I talked ofthe sponsorship problems and why teams were forced to get results. Morethan anything, I have sympathy for the guys in this sport who feelthey have to dope. Nobody in their right mind is excited about doping.I am not saying that there is some dark side to the sport that is likea secret society, and that I am a force for good trying to take on thevillains. I am coming to you from a deeper level of understanding humanbehavior. Everything a human does, they equate to good in their own mind.Nobody wants to dope, but some guys feel it’s a necessity to put food onthe table. Can you blame them?I spoke repeatedly about the lengths to which cycling has worked toclean itself up. No other sport in the world has done half as much as cycling.And yes, if other sports had the same drug testing policies that cyclinghad, there would be a different story being talked about. However, I playedevery sport an American kid plays, but nobody ever said a word to me aboutany type of performance enhancing drug until I started cycling.In the article, I talked about how teams like CSC, T-Mobile, and JonathanVaughter’s Slipstreamsquad are going above and beyond anything that has been done in thepast to ensure that their riders are clean. Guys like Mike Creed and DannyPate, who are a couple of the most truly talented athletes of our sportshould not have to compromise their morals to race in Europe. The informationis out there folks, this cannot be a surprise to anyone with common sensewho has been paying attention to cycling for any part of the last 10-20years.On the situation with Discovery. They are an awesome organization withsome amazing people working for them. They are the dream team of our sport,and that’s the main reason they need to hold themselves to the higheststandards. By the way, I already gave away or sold most of what I won becauseI needed the money, so I won't give it back. The rest will go on eBay toraise money for Kidsin Distress (I tried to auction it all off for them last weekend ata cycling party, but we didn’t raise nearly enough).I am not calling anyone a cheater, but what I am saying is this,and please apply the same situation to yourself. You have raced your entirelife, given your blood, sweat, and tears for this sport. You have paidyour dues, moved your way up through the ranks, and now you are one ofthe best pros in the world. This is your year to win the Tour de France,and you are one of the favorites! You have trained your ass off, starvedyour ass off, and did everything in your power to get the last watt outof your legs, except for take a transfusion or drug to boost performance.Now would you just step aside and give up a chance for a Tour win becausesome greedy, but well-intentioned doctor mentioned your name in a telephoneconversation? Hell no!Had that been me, it would have taken every cop in France to drag meoff of that starting line. Also, if it means racing the Tour or not, Iwould give every different bodily fluid I have for them to test my DNAand clear my name. No matter what the extremely small chances are thatI would turn up a false positive. Nobody else is willing to touch the otherriders in the investigation. Come out and say that you want your DNA testedagainst all the bags found in the Puerto investigation. I know youdon’t have to, but right now, to anyone with common sense, it looks reallybad for our sport in general. If the riders involved did that and werecleared, I would be the first to drop to my knees and beg for forgiveness.We don’t need to take all ProTour level athlete’s DNA. It’s just notnecessary. But monthly blood screenings by an independent company is astandard that all ProTour teams should adopt. I know we don’t have to,but how much do you want to save this sport? Let the public know how seriouswe are about cleaning up our sport and go the ultimate extra mile to completelyrestore our credibility.We can never solve a problem if we can admit it exists. I’m not sayingthat there is systematic doping going on throughout certain teams. Unfortunately,the temptation is there for managers and directors to turn a blind eye.Think about it, it is no secret that doping was practiced by most of thepeloton in the 1970’s and 80’s. Who do you think is running our teams now?They are not bad people, but just people who lived through the chemicalwarfare of the world’s hardest sport.For God’s sake, let’s get this sport out of the Stone Age. This is thesecond most watched sport in the world next to soccer and the largest participantsport on the planet. Why the hell are pro cyclists making so little comparedto athletes in other sports of the same caliber? The answer is easy: Weare scaring away sponsors left and right. Did Phonak deserveto be embarrassed time and time again for trying to help the sport?If you all only knew what I have seen and what I have given up becauseof doping, you would see me in a much different light, but I know thatI look like an ass right now. Don’t you think I know I will be black-balled by the higher powers of the sport? I don’t care and I am notafraid. If I have to sacrifice myself so that juniors of the future don’thave to go through the same stuff I did, then so be it. However,over time you will see where my heart truly is and what it's made of.Now to the haters! If you have never been a pro, are not a pro now,and never plan on being one, then keep your mouth shut! This little problemdoes not affect your entire life and career like it does for us. If youare in that category, then please feel free to bitch me out and call mewhatever you like, as I am sure I deserve it for something. Also, insteadof crashing me next season, just try and beat me. That will hurt myego much more.
AJ Smith
Florida

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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. Writers are encouraged to limit their submissions to one letter per month.The letters published here contain the opinions of the submitting authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinions, policies or positions of VeloNews.com, VeloNews magazine or our parent company, Inside Communications, Inc.