2011 Giro

[sogood]

I am surprised how there's not more accidents. So many of those major European mountain descents are without significant barriers, with a major drop on the other side. That's racing I guess and can't imagine there's the resources to net out those areas.

[hosko]

I did just watch the last half of the race, it was clear to see, that last pelaton that finished were no longer racing.

There was only a single shot of Wouter. He already looked gone.

Proud of this sport and the telecast though. As soon as they saw the problem with Wouter, no further shots were taken of him in respect.

If this had been car racing/dragsor other sports...etc there would be camera shots continuously going bad to the carnage.

Will be interesting to see if the Giro organisers take note of what has occurred and modifies the course in future to not include dangerous descents such as this one.

I believe from what the news were saying another competitor almost died a few years ago and the cyclists protested then about the Giro's dangerous course structure. They might listen this time as that descent was incredibly steep. Even the commentators before this happened were saying there was going to be issues before it happened! If they can comment on that before it occurs surely they people who mapped out this race know what they have done?

[familyguy]

I'm sure nobody forecast an issue this bad. One report said he had turned to check over his shoulder, drifted across and clipped a wall. I've not seen any of it, and I dont know if I will watch it. The old rule that "nobody dies at the track" doesnt apply to cycling cause you cant cover up whats happened as easily. Johan Bruyneel mentioned the Casartelli crash in '95, and there's only one brief scene right after that happened. I think this is a similar sort of event. Once it became clear that it was more than an injury, no more cameras.

I think once its clear that something is life-threatening (or life-ending) in motor sport too, the cameras turn off, e.g: Ratzenberger and Senna at Imola '91, Denny at Bathurst '92, Greg Moore at California '99.

Ride In Peace.

Jim

[JV911]

apparently his wife is due to give birth too

[hannos]

A very sad day indeed

[toolonglegs]

There is not much they can do about the descents.Every descent is dangerous at 70-100km per hour...barrier or not.

[brentono]

Sad to say Cycling, as a sport is dangerous, with high speeds and minimal protection.
(more-so than most)
Vale, Wouter Weylandt.
Thoughts are for the Family.

[Fresh]

Looks like Leopard Trek are going to continue with the race. There will be 1 minute of silence before the start.

[hosko]

Will the leg be neutralized?

[sogood]

I did just watch the last half of the race, it was clear to see, that last pelaton that finished were no longer racing.

The "last peloton" looked like the gruppetto on SBS. It's a group formed, typically on mountain stages, of riders not in contention for time aggregate, and are just interested in getting to the finish before the cut off time. This bunch typically includes a lot of the sprinters who are saving their legs for flat stages. So, they are still racing.

[heay]

Will the leg be neutralized?

No points tonight. I also believe the riders will ride together and in silence as a sign of respect. It was hard to get on the bike today after reading about it and am now even more scared of Sundays ride down from Toowoomba on the descent as I have 2 small children that I wouldn't want them growing up without me being around due to an accident on the bike.

My thoughts go out to his partner and unborn child whom will never meet the great man he is.

[ruscook]

Will the leg be neutralized?

No points tonight. I also believe the riders will ride together and in silence as a sign of respect. It was hard to get on the bike today after reading about it and am now even more scared of Sundays ride down from Toowoomba on the descent as I have 2 small children that I wouldn't want them growing up without me being around due to an accident on the bike.

My thoughts go out to his partner and unborn child whom will never meet the great man he is.

That last is the saddest part of it all ....

Good luck on your ride on Sunday.

[bone]

A sad sad day for cycling. RIP Wouter.

[Aushiker]

Andrew

[cf73]

Watching todays stage live, all the teams riding in a neutralized stage. A moving moment at the start of the stage when there was silence.
Great to see. There is a lot of class to the sport of cycling in these situations.

[Becker_11]

RIP mate

[norbs]

A link from another forum I visit.





Leopard Trek have pulled out of the Giro!


http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/leopard ... 0&ns_fee=0

[hosko]

http://twitpic.com/4vze8h

The Giro Twitter account posted this. Beautiful shot of Leopard Trek crossing the finish.

Also, Leopard Trek have decided to leave the Giro d'Italia

http://on.fb.me/iRdM96

Also last, here is a pic of the Leopard Trek team on the podium after the race which the Giro twitter account posted.

http://twitpic.com/4vxzx8

[Becker_11]

http://twitpic.com/4vze8h

The Giro Twitter account posted this. Beautiful shot of Leopard Trek crossing the finish.

Also, Leopard Trek have decided to leave the Giro d'Italia

http://on.fb.me/iRdM96

Also last, here is a pic of the Leopard Trek team on the podium after the race which the Giro twitter account posted.

http://twitpic.com/4vxzx8

Thanks for posting this. The last I heard the family had asked them to continue in the race obviously the riders felt they weren't up to it. Totally understandable.

[hosko]

I had originally only heard that Tyler Farrar was withdrawing after the accident as he was Wouter's best friend.

Bloody heart breaking.

Donation information has been setup for Wouter's Family by the Leopard Trek team.

http://www.facebook.com/notes/leopard-t ... 3960581968

They will be adding PayPal soon as at the moment it is only bank transfer.

[MichaelB]

Was watching the replay on SBS of the stage last night, and the commentary given by Matt Keenan was pretty hard to hear. Even worse was the news that they were expecting their 1st child too

Very sad day indeed.

Puts a bit of a sad note over the whole race.

[JV911]

Also, Leopard Trek have decided to leave the Giro d'Italia

i kinda wish they'd continued - the commentators told a touching story of the last time a rider died ('94 TdF). The following stage was neutralised and the rider's bike was put on the roof of the team car for the rest of the tour.

[Becker_11]

Yep Fabio Casartelli in the TDF 1995. Lance won a stage and pointed to the sky as he crossed the line.

[s-s-a]

That magazine graphic posted I am not so sure about. Where he was lying on the road, the riders had the uphill slope on their RIGHT as they descended. All reports are saying that he hit his LEFT pedal, if so then he would have done that on the switchback ABOVE and fallen over the edge. Hence the 20m fall and fatality. Imagine the graphic as-is but with another arrow pointing down and to the right.

It's pure chance that this doesn't happen more often. Do you remember the year Brad McGee went off a corner on a TdF descent doing warp speed??

I don't know how anyone could expect ANY of the peleton to get back on and keep racing after that. If only his team and Farrar have withdrawn, don't give them a hard time for it.

Steph
Edited to remove incorrect claim that a fall from the road was the cause of Casartelli's death.

[familyguy]

That magazine graphic posted I am not so sure about. Where he was lying on the road, the riders had the uphill slope on their RIGHT as they descended. All reports are saying that he hit his LEFT pedal, if so then he would have done that on the switchback ABOVE and fallen over the edge. Hence the 20m fall and fatality. Casartelli also died after falling OFF the road. Imagine the graphic as-is but with another arrow pointing down and to the right.

Magazine graphic shows left pedal striking wall, but probably not the drop to the lower road? I didnt think Casartelli fell off the side, but unfortunately hit a roadside concrete marker when he crashed. A rider did go over the side, but he was OK and assisted out without serious injury.

O'Grady's broken ribs from a couple of years back could've ended much worse as well.

This is nice:

http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/giro-d ... tos/173185

Jim