Must Reads: Reactions and background to the 60 Minutes show

AM Law daily: Hamilton’s lawyer on why he talked

The legal news site does a Q&A with Chris Manderson, Tyler Hamilton‘s attorney since his Rock Racing days. Manderson gives some background on Hamilton’s appearance before the grand jury and on 60 Minutes. “(“60 Minutes”) had clearly done (its) homework and knew what was going on. We concluded that talking with (them) would give Tyler an opportunity to get out in front of this and tell his story. Tyler would get an opportunity to talk about the Faustian bargain he had to make to become an elite cyclist.” Manderson also said Armstrong’s legal team approached him about a joint defense. “I told them, ‘I don’t think my guy is a defendant.'”

More Armstrong reactions and backgrounders:

WtMJ: The Wisconsin news source talks to Tom Schuler, one of Armstrong’s amateur teammates and the 1987 US PRO road champion. Schuler tells the station he never suspected Armstrong. “From my perspective, no,” he said. “No indication whatsoever.” … Marblehead Patch: The Massachusetts site talks to some cyclists from Hamilton’s hometown of Marblehead. Cyclist Jim Hanratty understood the pressure Hamilton was under but said it was no excuse to cheat. “It is still cheating. I am concerned about the message it sends to all young athletes, whether they are cyclists or not.” … Washington Post: The Post publishes a feature where “It’s Not About the Bike” author Sally Jenkins takes reader questions about the 60 Minutes allegations. “He told me point blank, ‘I didn’t use performance enhancers,’ and I accept his answer because he’s my friend and that’s what you do with friends. I judge him the way I suppose anyone on this site would want to be judged: based on personal interactions.” … NorthJersey.com: Thomas McEneny, a veteran CBS News editor, died Sunday of a heart attack while finishing his first “60 Minutes” assignment — that evening’s report on Tyler Hamilton. He was 57.

Latino Fox News: Tondo funeral set for Wednesday

A funeral will be held for Xavier Tondo on Wednesday at Pabellón Municipal de los Deportes de Olot in Girona, Spain.

VCStar.com: Inside the ATOC TV plane

The regional news site visits with the California company that provides the small plane that serves as the communications hub for Tour of California TV. Race footage from motorcycles and helicopters is transmitted to the plane, a slow, low-fyling Britten-Norman Islander, similar to a bush plane. Up in the plane a Euro Media crew member sends the footage back down to a station on the ground for a live TV feed. “It’s a fairly complicated system, but the guys operating the equipment have done this at the Tour de France for over 20 years. They are experts,” a company spokesman says.

Indiainfoline: Stybar endorses Skoda bike line

The Czech company known to cyclists for supplying caravan vehicles to the Tour de France is using its brand awareness to market a line of bicycles. The seven-model line is being endorsed by Czech cyclocross star Zdeněk Stybar and includes road and mountain bikes. The men who founded the Skoda auto company in 1895 were previously bike manufacturers.