I've had a few comments that I haven't posted anything here for ages, and it's with something of a heavy heart that I write this post. Today is a very sad day for the sport of cycling and cyclists after the death this afternoon of Wouter Weylandt in Stage 3 of the Giro d'Italia. The Leopard-Trek rider fell at high speed during a descent about 20km from the finish of the stage from Reggio Emilia to Rapallo. The crash had left Weylandt bloodied and unconscious and requiring cardiac massage. He received emergency medical treatment by race doctors and was scheduled to be airlifted to hospital but had to wait as an emergency helicopter looked for a suitable landing spot. Unfortunately his crash was fatal.
Anyone that knows me well will, at some stage, have heard me on my soap-box commenting about the 'injuries' that footballers 'suffer' and complain about - it often appears to me that the odd sprain can keep a multi-million £ footballer off the pitch for weeks, whereas cyclists frequently come crashing off their bikes hitting the tarmac at high speeds, but nevertheless get back on, bloodied, bruised and battered, shorts and jerseys ripped to shreds, even carrying on riding sometimes with broken collar bones and fingers - often continuing to ride in a Tour for days and weeks afterwards. I often wonder to what extent people realise just how dangerous the sport of cycling can be. Days like today also remind us that the sport can also be fatal.
In my own small way I send my thoughts and prayers to the family, friends and team mates of Wouter Weylandt.
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