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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Millar as role model? A bit early, no?
Editor:
David Millar's comment that he wants to "become an icon for clean cycling as well as an example to young people" is preposterous. Everyone deserves a second chance (and Millar has served his time), but it's a bit premature for him to declare his desire to be a role model for clean sport (and for kids, no less). He should keep his mouth shut and worry about winning a race or two before making bold pronouncements.

Ah, but who am I kidding? He always had the propensity for saying (and doing) stupid things.

Noah Byrd
Durham, North Carolina

What’s up with United Pro?
Editor:
What is the status of United Pro Cycling, the team started by Frankie Andreu of U.S. Postal fame and former Saturn pro Harm Jansen? I’ve looked for updates, but so far there is not even a hint of what is going on with them as regards sponsors, bikes, etc.

With such a big lineup, including Chris Wherry and Tony Cruz, just to name a few, what are they up to?

Tony Christen
Maryville, Tennessee

Tony, keep your eyes peeled for an update on the United Pro squad, coming soon from VeloNews senior writer Neal Rogers. — Editor

Cycling could learn from open-wheel racing
Editor:
It strikes me that cycling, with its conflict between the UCI ProTour and the grand tours, is starting to look like open-wheel car racing, specifically the infamous '90s split between CART and Indy cars precipitated by the Indianapolis track owner, Tony George, who required all cars racing on "his" track to have "his" license. This schism expanded into the current IRL and Champ car circuits.

While the better drivers in both leagues, with few exceptions, originated in the CART/Champ series, and there are exceptional drivers in both leagues, overall driver quality has been diluted and both leagues are struggling to fill the stands in many of their races in direct consequence. Pro cycling would do well to learn from this and patch together some sort of compromise - soon.

Dave Parish
Houston, Texas

Wheat Thins was the real deal
Editor:
Glad to see others also remember the Wheat Thins series from the '86-'88 timeframe (see Monday’s Mailbag: "Remember the Wheat Thins Series?") They were short, fast courses, had good crowds (more than just our spouses, friends, kids, etc., like most races these days), a loud announcer to explain the race (Brian Drebber?), and food and drink available.

It’s a lot easier to sell the non-cycling public on high-speed short courses with a probability of mayhem than on heading out to the sticks to see a road race go by every hour, whether it needs to or not. The sponsor gets a lot more bang for the buck, too.

Mike Matthews
Memphis, Tennessee

Build the activity and sport will come
Editor:
When I moved to Canada in 1983, as a successful cadet/junior who was racing for the English team in Europe, I was very disappointed with the small number of people involved in the sport. Still, for this small volume, the standard was actually not bad.

I became ill and quit riding in 1984 and have since come back to the sport as a masters rider. I am saddened that the masters fields are always the biggest and most exciting at every race and the cadet and junior races have tiny fields. Where is the so-called Lance effect?

We must recognize that North American culture is based upon its successes. NASCAR is about cars: We all drive cars, and the modern automobile was created in America; it’s the culture. Cycling is not part of the American culture; it’s a tiny speck on the sports pages. It is watched because an American is winning, not because people like it.

We cannot compare cycling to automobile racing; we cannot even dare to think it will ever gain that popularity. What we can do is ride the wave of healthy living and support the current efforts to break children out of their sedentary lives. Cycling must be presented as one of the key factors in the well-being of the American people, not as a sport. The sport and its popularity will come. When we all ride bikes, we can all relate to the racers.

Let's focus our efforts on the provision of cycling as an opportunity, a way to reduce our health-care costs; a way to live longer and better; a way to improve our social interaction; a way to enjoy our fabulous continent; a way to save our environment. When we can properly position cycling in the eyes of corporate and public America, we will get more people pushing pedals - the sport will come!

In short - don't push the sport, push participation - everything else will follow.

Mike Sankey
Oakville, Ontario. Canada

Right back at you, Danny boy
Editor:
Regarding Patrick O'Grady's latest column, to paraphrase Dan Jenkins: auto racing's not a sport, it's how a f---ing American goes to the 7–Eleven.

Steven Bonadio
Arlington, Massachusetts

We never thought Dan Jenkins was funny, either. Not the stuff he wrote after "Semi-Tough," anyway. These days he writes for Golf Digest, where, interestingly enough, he also is dealing with NASCAR references.— Editor

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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.