The Mailbag is a regular department on VeloNews.com. If you have a comment, an opinion or observation regarding anything you have read in VeloNews magazine or on VeloNews.com, write to webletters@insideinc.com. Please include your full name, hometown and state or nation. 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 should not be viewed as reflecting the opinions, policies or positions of VeloNews.com, VeloNews magazine or our parent company, Inside Communications, Inc.

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Cipo’ was hot
Editor:
You have just got to list Mario Cipollini in your "who's hot" section. It may have been a bit of a publicity stunt by Rock Racing to have him at the race, and he could have just come and hung back and rested on his laurels. But he didn't!

I was totally impressed that he came to the Tour of California in really great shape and ready to fight. His finish in Sacramento was hugely impressive, regardless of his 40 years. We got to watch him on the freezing cold wet day in Big Sur. He looked really strong and seemed to enjoy the crazy crowd waiting in the rain. A huge grazie for Super Mario!

B. Firebaugh
Santa Cruz, California

Astana was rotten
Editor:
Astana of old was rotten. The Johan Bruyneel of yesteryear hired Ivan Basso, then, whoops, un-hired him. Contador is associated with OperaciónPuerto but "exonerated" by his federation, yet we know what that can mean.

ASO has a point that the new Astana carries baggage. Why not throw the baggage overboard in the interim? Ban Alberto Contador from racing the Tour de France and Bruyneel from running things from behnd the scenes for the grand tours, but let Levi Leipheimer, Chris Horner and the others ride them.

Maybe Bruyneel would like an all expense paid holiday in the home country of Astana? I hear Kazakhstan is very nice in July . . . .

Jane Kyle
Portland, Oregon

Let Levi . . . follow wheels
Editor:
Instead of T-shirts saying "Let Levi Ride", they should say "Let Levi Follow Your Wheel". With the exits of Lance, Tyler, Floyd, etc., I've really tried to jump on the Levi train. But he is ungodly boring to watch race!

I watched him follow wheels in the Tour de Georgia a few years back, I watched him follow wheels in the Tour de France last year, and I watched him follow wheels in Stage 3 of the Amgen Tour of California. In the pos- race interview he even said he didn't think they could stay away so he didn't give it his all until 5km to go. Against the best, he rarely takes the lead and normally just follows wheels.

The only time I've seen him put it all on the line was at the U.S. pro championships last year, and that was against a field that could hardly be considered world class. I know he's a good rider and he has consistently good results, but I want to watch someone who tries to win the race, not someone who's just trying not to lose it.

I for one won't miss the frustration of watching him ride in the Tour if Astana doesn't get an invite. Contador, I'll miss!

Mike Hatten
Atlanta, Georgia

And speaking of ‘Let Levi Ride’ . . .
Editor:
It seems www.letleviride.com is owned by Trek Bicycle Corporation. Trek should have put a bit more distance between themselves and the campaign, not at arms length; poor optics.

I'm in full support of Astana. They should be allowed to race in any and all races! Go Levi, go!

Jeff Green
Toronto, Canada

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The Mailbag is a regular department on VeloNews.com. If you have a comment, an opinion or observation regarding anything you have read in VeloNews magazine or on VeloNews.com, write to webletters@insideinc.com. Please include your full name, hometown and state or nation. 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 should not be viewed as reflecting the opinions, policies or positions of VeloNews.com, VeloNews magazine or our parent company, Inside Communications, Inc.