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ProTour teams issued a statement Thursday calling on non-ProTour teams to join them in adopting the so-called biological passport. The International Professional Cycling Teams (IPCT), which represents the 17 ProTour teams, said it would refuse to compete with Continental teams that do not adopt the anti-doping measure. "The 17 ProTour teams will only agree to race against teams from the Professional ranks (Continental teams) if they adopt the biological passport for their riders," said the IPCT statement.

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Dear Readers,
Two weeks ago, we received a letter to the editor from Darin Baer asking about the availability of insurance for expensive bikes. We received several letters in response, including one asking about protection for the rider. We figured all of it might be a good subject for our legal columnist to take on. - Editor

Dear VeloNews,

Self Portrait in Ocotillo CA

L. H. “Ronnie” Thomson, president of the L.H. Thomson Company, died on Sunday. He was 68. Thomson was born on January 17, 1939, in Byron, Georgia. An entrepreneur, inventor, and philanthropist, he was best known in cycling circles for the high-end seat posts and stems his company made. The L.H. Thomson Company holds numerous patents on its components, and has sold more than 1 million Thomson-label products.

Retired Dutch cyclist Michael Boogerd and his former teammate Denis Menchov have denied any connection to a laboratory targeted by anti-doping authorities for storing athletes' blood. The duo were among a number of athletes, including former Tour de France leader Michael Rasmussen and a number of biathletes and cross country skiers, named in a report Tuesday by German television channel ARD as clients of Vienna-based laboratory Humanplasma.

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