Today was not a good day for the sport of cycling, as Woulter Weylandt was fatally injured in a crash today at the Giro d’Italia. It doesn’t happen very often, but it is a dangerous sport and deaths do occur. I’m surprised that more riders aren’t killed in racing accidents. I really am. But, luckily for us all, our bodies are very resilient and can take unbelievable amounts of trauma sometimes. It is always sad when such a young guy dies tragically, but if he is anything like most of the guys I know, he might not of wanted it to happen any other way. Dying doing something you love isn’t the worst way for it to happen, if that is any consolation.
Steve Tilford
Blog
First: Incredible sad. RIP Weylandt.
Second: Is it that unusual? Last Thomas Casarotto died after a crash Giro del Fruili Venezia 2.2, http://www.podiumcafe.com/2010/9/11/1682530/thomas-casarotto-in-clinical-death
A number I have in the back of my head is that there are around 3000 riders in the pro tour, pro cont and continental level all together. That means 2/3000. That is seriously bad statistics. Now of course this is a flawed analysis, but it gives you something to think about when you are fighting for a wheel position going downhill 90km/hr into a roundabout. I wonder how the statistics for let’s say base jumping are?
Watching the DVR of the race later that day, I was astounded at how fast those guys were bombing that descent, especially given the danger on both sides of the road. It is extremely sobering to think that a single, momentary glance or the slightest mistake can be so instantly fatal.