Dear Explainer, I’ve been following coverage of the Floyd Landis story for years, including this most recent round of investigations triggered by his confession and the allegations of others that followed it. What confuses me is the type of charges I see that the Feds are considering in this case. Is it just me, or doesn’t it seem extreme to be investigating a bunch of doping cyclists using laws that were designed for mobsters and drug dealers?... 

Dear Explainer, I just need to ask about this: Adrain Mutu, a world-class soccer player playing in Italy, has been suspended for nine months after his second drugs positive. In 2004 he was suspended for seven months for cocaine use. This year he twice tested positive for sibutramine, a banned appetite suppressant. If this guy was a cyclist he’d be banned for life. Why is it that cyclists are measured according to a much harsher standard,... 

Dear Explainer, I would like to know who, besides Eddy Merckx and (obviously) Maurice Garin, won the Tour de France in his first participation. Thank you, Greg Keller Paris, France Dear Greg, Maurice Garin earns a spot on that list of first-time entrants to win the Tour de France by default, given that the first Tour in 1903 was everyone’s first stab at the race. From there, the list becomes a little more selective. Maurice Garin won... 

Dear Readers, This week marks the return of both Paris-Nice and of our daily up-to-the-minute Live Coverage of racing. It’s one of my favorite parts of the job, due largely to the fact that I get to hear directly from readers throughout each day’s stage. Readers can simply type in comments, observations and questions and those appear right on the control panel, next to where Andrew Hood and I type in the latest news from the road. Paris-Nice...