Open Letter to USA Cycling

by Andy Shen

Cancel Armstrong Jr Dev series

 OPEN LETTER TO USA CYCLING, Inc., Colorado Springs, Colorado

Dear Executive Staff of USA Cycling, the USA Cycling Board of Directors, the USA Cycling Board of Trustees, and the USA Cycling Development Foundation, et al,

In light of the federal investigation into former professional cyclist Lance Armstrong and the former US Postal Professional Cycling Team, etc., Lance Armstrong’s publicly hostile behavior toward former teammates cooperating with the investigation, and his recent unprofessional and public altercation with one former teammate in particular, I call upon USA Cycling, Inc. – the national governing body for cycling in the United States – to officially cancel the ‘Lance Armstrong Junior Development Series’ of Junior-level cycling races. The Lance Armstrong name has become a badge of dishonor and a poor example for Junior-level cyclists, their parents, and event organizers and sponsors wishing to grow Junior races and develop Junior riders. Please consider this request to cancel this series or replace it with another, less controversial series with another name or focus. The Series’ continued existence is a hindrance to the growth of the sport of cycling in the United States.

Sincerely,

Dieter Drake
Race Director
Anthem Sports – Tour of the Battenkill

81 Comments

West Coast Reader

Can’t the race director ban that team from participating? I hope so, no better way than keeping them off the road to show what’s what. I know some will say, “But they’re just kids why should they pay the price?”, well its the parents that are fronting them and should know what’s what and this way they’ll get notice of it if they’ve been hiding under a rock.

CatskillsCycling.com

This letter is a great example of good judgement, timing, & class. Making decisions and judgments based on speculation (i.e. Doping allegations) is one thing, making them based on unacceptable behavior is another. Now it’s time.

Well done Dieter

fillet_brazed

How about removing him from the board of directors for USACDF? USACDF is Weisel’s pet project supposedly to ‘find the next Armstrong.’ How’s that been going?

Most of you jokers don’t care that USAC is run by Tailwind principals for the express purpose of developing riders for Pat’s European dope ring. The fact that Dieter’s popular cycling event was demoted should be a big enough clue there’s no interest in growing participation.

burpnscratch

while your at it, demand the release of the Papp List!!!! WHy have riders that are on the list still be racing yo???

Corentin Chainline

I had completely forgot about LAJORS. Lance Armstrong is no longer someone that I want the juniors to follow. Thanks for putting this together.

Cache cache reservations

Dieter,
Your table near the bathroom is ready. Watch for the straight arms on the way.
Signed,
Cache cache

Turd Fergusson

Seems a bit much to call for cancelling a junior development race series just because it bears the Armstrong name. I get it – we don’t want the youth of the sport idolizing him, thus potentially continuing the cycle, but still. Why should the kids suffer just because LA’s a dick?

Paolo Swage

Indeed. They should keep the races, and just change the name. “Livestrong Junior Development Series” has a nice ring to it.

L. Armstrong

How about “The Lance Armstrong Go Fuck Yourself I’m Taking All Of My Money And Going to Bang Hookers Who Look Like My Mom Junior Olympic Race Series”?

Excitable

Dieter, Floyd was not on the “Right” side of the issue when you invited him to race.

The fact that your posting your open letter here on this site goes to show your in it for the sideshow act circus atmosphere. I mean how can anyone take anything that comes from this site. It’s a place to come and bash others without recourse and complete absolution form the slander and hypocrisy that us cycling hold so near and dear to our hearts.

I mean Lance has even been charge with anything let alone proven guilty and your ready to step in condemn him.

I would ask whats in it for you?

Excitable

Dieter, Floyd was not on the “Right” side of the issue when you invited him to race.

The fact that your posting your open letter here on this site goes to show your in it for the sideshow act circus atmosphere. I mean how can anyone take anything that comes from this site. It’s a place to come and bash others without recourse and complete absolution form the slander and hypocrisy that us cycling hold so near and dear to our hearts.

I mean Lance has even been charge with anything let alone proven guilty and your ready to step in condemn him.

I would ask whats in it for you?

Dieter Drake

Floyd admitted his past doping on May 20, 2010 and stated “I don’t want to be part of the problem any more.” The 2010 Tour of the Catskills was July 30-August 1, 2010.

I want a more ethical and clean sport. So should you. Society does not need to take such a cynical stance and accept lousy behavior as acceptable. It’s not. Floyd was wrong – he was wrong to ‘play the game’ most importantly. He lost. Now he’s paying the price with the loss of a career. Indeed, Floyd is no longer part of the problem. It should not be a death sentence, however, and anyone who seeks that out for him or any others wrapped up in this farcical episode should seek help. It’s just bike racing and virtually everyone agrees that it’s entertaining and fun. That’s why people are drawn to it as participants and spectators.

I fear that the latest saga will become a tragic comedy where kids (yours, mine, your neighbors down the street) have virtually no positive examples to learn from. The whole thing is so top heavy with lies, scandal, mistrust, and simple clumsiness that it’s about to tip over. If there were leaders in this sport and industry who proved they had a ‘pair’ by stating “this is right”, and “that is wrong” more frequently (ever?), then we’d all have some confidence that there were adults making good decisions. Instead we’ve got a governing body void of leadership.

Dieter Drake
Race Director
Tour of the Battenkill, etc.

We're no fools DD

DDrake, you must be kidding. So as long as Floyd admitted past doping on 5/20/2010, all is forgiven? what about the book he sold and the millions of dollars he solicited from donors for his “innocent” defense?
Unlike other dopers, he did worse — he kept the fraud alive and took money from people who believed in him. Then he outed LA and Co. because he was bitter about the Tour of CA snub. I hope future generations of cyclists don’t become d-bags like Floyd. Just regular d-bags like us.

Romain Headset

Aw cummon, what better way to motivate kids than to show them that someday they can make huge money on a Nike contract, fly in a private jet paid for by people who think they are donating to a charity, and bang strippers?

Next you are going to dump all over the Bernie Madoff junior development hedge fund.

Anthony Bottle

I’ll file this letter among the other important documents in my life…the Subway takeout menu, the tourist brochure from my trip to Panama City, Fl, the list of chores my wife would like me to do instead of riding my bike.

Now on to more important things. What’s the deal with the Harlem course? A friend that lives in the neighborhood said that if they planned on having the race with the road in its current state, “good luck with that.”

Category three

FLoyd, Lance, Hamilton. I still get to ride and race my bike and whether those fools are doped or not, local Cat1-4 racing is pretty much business as ussually since 2000. If anything, Mtn XC marathon and stage racing and CX are making a strong surge in popularity. Too much energy is spent analyzing this negative BS.

Thank you Dieter for putting on great races for us weekend warriors.

Excitable

Oh so your doing for the kids? Give me a break your doing it for your own pocket and standing in the US cycling community.

As a parent I sure as hell am not raising my kids to look at professional athletes as role models before their own parents. What are ya dumb?

Dieter Drake

Who said anything about kids looking to pro athletes ahead of their parents?

I could care less about my standing in the cycling community. If I were I’d be sucking up to all the folks dishing out favors, cash, and attention.

Dieter Drake
Race Director
etc.

coffee

“If there were leaders in this sport and industry who proved they had a ‘pair’…”

I like this non-gender specific reference – could refer to a pair of balls or a pair of ovaries. Back when I was a kid and acting like a woosie, my ole man would tell me to “sac up.” When my siter came of age, he told her to “fallop’ up.” Same rules apply.

Back to your regular scheduled programming.

Coach L

Nice one, Dieter. I’m with you – Instead of promoting cycling, the Lance Armstrong series is promoting Lance Armstrong at cycling’s expense. USA Cycling needs to grow a spine and step up.

Every one of us who is a cyclist has recently gone through the experience of being asked by our non-cyclist friends if we think Lance actually doped – They just don’t know. But the vast majority of people with a cycling license know how crooked and wrong this man is and WANT HIM GONE. Are we really going to wait until the indictment before USA Cycling abandons support? Conviction? Or will we actually have to wait for the first report of prison butt rape before we disassociate?

Ruben Nipple

first cycling industry insider who shows that he may have some crotch lumps visible thru the bike shorts… all you other muppets are corporate schills and weaklings… we’re still waiting for your testes to drop

Antoine Dropout

Although to be fair, I’m just glad that this prick Drake was in Cache Cache, otherwise how could I ever be sure about what actually happened and form an over reactionary opinion on it?

Bernardi Torque

Supposedly the owner called Lance, who was not there originally, to tell him that Hamilton was there, whereupon Lance came over. The FBI should have fun with that fact pattern.

…unless of course the facts are amended to be that Lance was coming over to pick up some take-out, which of course the owner will attest to. Oh and grab a quick shot or two of tequila at the bar with his girlfriend while his Spanish Beef tacos were being prepared.

“Oh hi Tyler, fancy meeting you here. Have you tried the flan?”

Antoine Dropout

What the fuck is a ‘fact pattern’ Bernardi Torque?
Supposedly, supposedly, supposedly.
‘Facts are amended’.
You rumor-mongers, internet libel queens and slanderers are in for a huge, huge surprise in the first few weeks of September.

Reaction Fairy

What’s the surprise, Lance? You’ve fathered another kid with the nanny like Arnold did? A new (oops,libelous…) website – morefactsforlance.xxx??? You’re running for President?

Or is it even more juicy…your recent Hawaiian vacation that coincided with Obama’s was no coincidence at all? There is a rumor I’d like dispelled.

Lance's Mom

Lance was picking up an order of fish tacos for me. He just happened to run into Tyler. What a coinkidink!

Matteo Dropout

…from the simple point of view that with all the controversy swirling around “the armstrong issue” & all the negative publicity thus garnered, dieter drake raises a damn good suggestion…

…look a little deeper at usacycling/tailwind connection as some have suggested & it makes even more sense…

…as an aside – How about “The Lance Armstrong Go Fuck Yourself I’m Taking All Of My Money And Going to Bang Hookers Who Look Like My Mom Junior Olympic Race Series”? – goddammit…somebody owes me a new keyboard…i was able to dry out the tea but the honey leaves everything sticky…

…just sayin’, with love, bgw

Mauro Tubie

When this investigation is finished USAC will be dissolved and a new Fed will need to be formed. Why? Lance is just the tip of the iceberg and the corruption rampant in USAC (UCI, WADA, USADA…) will be exposed.

My Name

Check out Gina Ford vs for a hint. As the mods at cn are active in the personal attacks, their defence is very weak. Manrod and his multiples are also actively and publically witness tampering; they are in for a surprise too. Happy September everyone.

liquiguts

USAC will circle the wagons unless a crop of anti Lance “Champion$$$” suddenly emerges. Go back and read what happened to Bisceglia . If Och is the last man standing … it will be very sad. As meaningful as Festina. Theater. Welcome to ’99, the Tour of redemption!

As to Dieter: A man with nothing to lose shaming the shameless. Again, theater. But thanks for making explicit the vile use of juniors as a shielding device, typical for the usual suspects.

Simon Brazeon

he is innocent until proven guilty, and arguably has brought more people in america into this sport than any other person, eva. This letter is a joke, or should be…(by the way I am not delusional. I do believe he is guilty of all charges. Doesn’t change the fact that he has been/is inspiring to millions)

Jens Chainsuck

I base my beliefs on these things.
J.B. Ramsey killed in her basement and the family was accused by both the cops and the media of murder. Years later they find someone else’s DNA at the scene.

Chandra Ann Levy disappeared and the senator she worked for was a suspect. He lost his job not being reelected. They just sentenced the real killer to 60 years.

A bunch of youths were arrested in NYC for wilding. Supposedly attacking and raping a woman. The police coerced confessions and they were all convicted. Years later a man already in jail admitted to the crimes and all were released.
I can jump to conclusions just like anyone else. But a lot of the time they are wrong.

Antoine Torque the 3rd

just because someone has a personal issue dose not mean it effects anything! look around you do see all these politicians doing straight things etc,,, everything is corrupt~

Antoine Torque the 3rd

these juniors need a programs like lances! i didnt see lance take drugs, did u>?

Turd Fergusson

I don’t know man — I don’t think engaging in this kind of back and forth is really good for your standing in the cycling community, whether you’re right or wrong, whether I agree with you or not… Just seems kind of unprofessional and makes me wonder that, given that the results for the ToCatskills in 09 to this day are still reported wrong and there’s not a damn photo of that anywhere to be found, why do you have so much free time?

Dieter Drake

Why do you assume the letter was written in my free time? I am committed to the sport of cycling and there is no free time.

I hired a lousy timing & results contractor for the 2009 TOC. He botched it and despite a considerable effort by the Chief Judge and me in the weeks after the event, he still did not produce 100% accurate results. ‘My fault for not hiring a guy like Alan Atwood or John Frey that year. ‘My apologies, but sue me if you want your name in print so bad.

Unprofessional? ‘Your opinion. It may be shared by many. Who knows. I think that’s total BS though. There, that was unprofessional. My standing is irrelevant.

Dieter Drake
etc.

Matteo Dropout

…as an owner, if you’re gonna inform me in the middle of my dinner that i’m not allowed back in your establishment, have the fucking ovaries to walk over & do it personally rather than send a server to do your bidding & then please have the class to tell me the meal is on the house because the fact i’m being 86-ing is a personal issue with you, not any disturbing behavior on my part…

…the whole situation was handled with no tact or class & then you whine to the press afterwards about my party not tipping ???…

…being pals with armstrong & having him frequent your establishment has seriously clouded your judgment…

…with disgust, bgw…

Dylan Butyl

I appreciate his efforts as a race promoter but the letter makes him look just as bad had he taken the opposite position. In fact worse, as nothing has been proven yet.

Matteo Dropout

…race promoter = thankless task…

…hang in there, dieter…i’d have to agree that armstrong’s name on a junior development series at this point carries negative connotations, whether he’s guilty or not (& i can’t believe i’m giving him that much leeway)…

…i’d suggest not only negative but farcical as well but that’s just moi…

…with respect, love bgw…

Palla Seatmast

let’s rename it the “Greg Lemond Junior Development Series” after a true USA junior cyclist who rose to the pinnacle of world cycling (junior worlds, worlds, tdf)

Lorenzo Crank your Mother

Since when are we guilty till proven innocent? Fuck you Drake your pissed cause you didn’t get what YOU wanted.

Dieter Drake

You’re right. I expected reasonably ethical leadership in the sport and didn’t get it.

Dieter Drake
ah, nevermind

liquiguts

I think we all deserve ethical leadership, however, any casual student of the history of ABL, USCF, USPRO, USAC and the UCI should have a reasonable expectation of something considerably less than ethical behavior.

It’s been much the same cast of characters for over 30 years, save for the addition of Weisel’s crew. Look closely at Weisel and you’ll see that finally “earned” that master’s national championship with the “help” of Eddie B, who subsequently did astoundingly well in the stock market.

It’s not changing from the top down anytime soon. Maybe the Feds will do it, or maybe we’ll just get tired of being conned, manipulated, and used as cover for cheats and liars and “just do it” ourselves.

Stumptownie

The separation of OBRA (Oregon Bicycle Racing Association) from USCF worked out to be quite successful for OBRA and their members

liquiguts

And did you notice how USAC restored the radio ban only when the UCI offered to make sure no UCI licensed ride could enter an OBRA race?

So yes, from what I hear OBRA works well, but USAC is the IOC rep’ing body, and holds the best cards.

Ayoub Headbadge

dieter..you invited doper floyd up there to race batenkill because you knew it would attract attention for your race and make you money. i’m not sure what the pissing match against LAJORS is (agreed, they might be better served in the long run taking his name off it, particularly if this investigation gets traction) but Lance has done a lot more for cycling that you have though. How many kids say, “I watched that Dieter Drake win that stage of the Green Mtn in ’07 and it inspired me to do something” how much money have you raised for cancer? how much awareness have you really raised for the sport? they all doped! lance, floyd, tyler, leipheimer, lemond, etc. why single him out? i dont get it. because he’s kind of a douche? so what. because he was mean to tyler in a bar? so what. (btw, lance hangs out in that bar all the time, i was there and tyler started the whole thing, lance should have kicked his ass).
just go back to racing in crits in albany and put on your race (which is a great, epic race) and stop preaching.

Mauro Limit Screw

I don’t normally comment on the state of cycling in America. Being the father of a young rider (cat. 4) in the northeast who started racing last June, I wanted to help him in any way that I could. This involved $$, time and research of the sport. When were the races? Where were the races? How does he prepare for the races? What equipment? Here, 30+ races and 1yr later, is what I have discovered. Cycling is the most beautiful sport in the world. Demanding; both physically and mentally; and in my son’s case, character building. Awesome!!! *AND* What a waste of $$, time and research. Why!?! DOPING. He did his training. He performed well. Empire Games, podiums, medals, money and upgrade points. Maybe a future in cycling? GOD AND I FORBID!!! There is a sick, smelly underside of cycling as it stands that no (loving) parent would ever want for their child. And it becomes more prevailent as one climbs the ranks. We learned about TT’s, one day classics, breakaways, crits, feed zones, KOM’s, pacelining and stage racing. *AND* doping, coverups, favors, and Omerta. WTF is Omerta. I guess at 46 I’m not shocked. But not so jaded to not be disappointed. (cont.)

Mauro Limit Screw

There is no Santa. And it seems there are no men of character at the top of this sport (certainly not any I would want for a son). I don’t know D. Drake personally. We have been to his races and seen him with Farm Team at others. Thanks to him, we met and spoke with F. Landis. Eye openning and depressing experience (great guy, bad decision maker). I’m shocked that this doping issue does not seem to bother many riders or followers of the sport and begs these stupid questions: Why do a crossword puzzle if you’re just going to peek at the answer page? Why race a bicycle if you are just going to dope? Both activities seem like an empty endeavor. So, yeah, I’m with D.Drake on this one for the sake of young riders. On a lighter note: Do you think other (hopefully) convicted criminals will be impressed with Gunderson’s mad crossword skills?

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