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- CommentAuthorRuffinit
- CommentTimeMay 9th 2011
For those of you that follow the Grand Tours, racing, cycling in general; the Giro de Italia which finished the 3rd stage today was a fatal day for an up and coming rider. He had joined the Leopard-Trek team for the 2011 season in what could have been his big break. One year ago tomorrow Wouter Weylandt (pronounced WOW-tehrk WAY-lahnt) won the third stage of the Giro.
Weylandt was the first rider killed in a crash in one of cycling's three main tours since Italian rider Fabio Casartelli died during the 1995 Tour de France.
Weylandt is the fourth cyclist to die during Giro and the first in 25 years. The others were Orfeo Ponsin (1952), Juan Manuel Santisteban (1976) and Emilio Ravasio (1986).
Weylandt's father and the cyclist's pregnant girlfriend were en route to Italy and were to be met at Malpensa airport in Milan.
http://www.leopardtrek.lu/
May he rest in peace. -
- CommentAuthoreaglerock
- CommentTimeMay 9th 2011
I heard about this on the radio about fifteen minutes before your post. Both my USB TV tuners died over the the weekend, so I wasn't watching; my understanding is that the effort to revive Weylandt was broadcast live. I don't think I'll be looking for the clip on YouTube.
David Millar of Garmin-Cervelo, who won the stage, made a statement (I've pulled it from ESPN):
I love cycling, and I've always been enchanted by the epic scale of it all; it was why I fell in love with it as a boy. Yet Wouter's death today goes beyond anything that our sport is supposed to be about; it is a tragedy that we as sportsmen never expect, yet we live with it daily, completely oblivious to the dangers we put ourselves in. This is a sad reminder to us, the racers, what risks we take and what lives we lead.
Wouter was a sprinter; this means he was one of the most skillful bike-handlers in the peloton. For this to have happened to him shows that we are all at risk every single kilometre we race.
My wife was in tears when I spoke to her after the race because she couldn't understand why the live television was showing him receiving medical attention when in such a horrific state. All she could imagine was that it was me. I haven't told her yet, that like her, Wouter's girlfriend is five months pregnant.
I am trying to imagine what that would be like to see the person I love most in the world in those circumstances. I can't, and in honesty, I don't want to.
Within our team we have one of Wouter's best friends, Tyler [Farrar]. In a way he was Ty's European brother. The next few days are going to be very difficult for us as racing cyclists, but for Tyler, and the friends and family of Wouter, it is going to be a lifetime of loss.
I will wear the pink jersey tomorrow, but it will be in memory of Wouter; there is no celebration or glory, only sadness. I will discuss with Tyler, [Team] Leopard and the family of Wouter what we as a peloton will do tomorrow.
An Internet-culture observation: I find it interesting that Leopard-Trek's memorial on their homepage doesn't link to anything deeper in the site. No links to news articles or to Weylandt's bio; but also no links to team rosters, equipment or corporate sponsors. I suppose that, in this age, that's about the highest tribute anyone can ask for from a corporate enterprise: That the notice of your death on the job stand on its own. -
- CommentAuthorrollins
- CommentTimeMay 9th 2011
It is also a shame when these accidents happen - he died doing what he loved, hopefully. -
- CommentAuthorgreg
- CommentTimeMay 9th 2011
Well put by Millar, may Weylandt RIP -
- CommentAuthorRuffinit
- CommentTimeMay 9th 2011
While being a difficult situation it was a warriors death. In dying doing what he loved, he celebrated life in the fullest. We should all take a lesson from him.
I am impressed with Millar's response. Very articulate. -
- CommentAuthoruhler
- CommentTimeMay 9th 2011
That's terrible. How was the crash caused? -
- CommentAuthorJoshua A.C. Newman
- CommentTimeMay 9th 2011
Man. I haven't been able to watch the Giro, so the first I heard of this was from Bicycle Design today.
It's wonderful to die doing what you love. But man, it's horrible to be in bike crashes. -
- CommentAuthorsuicide_doors
- CommentTimeMay 9th 2011
Posted By: eaglerockmy understanding is that the effort to revive Weylandt was broadcast live.
I made the mistake of tuning in right when it flashed on a news site. It was graphic. -
- CommentAuthorwes m.
- CommentTimeMay 9th 2011
He died doing what he loves but damn, I feel bad for his wife and unborn child.
Ride safe guys, clearly even those much greater than us are vulnerable. -
- CommentAuthorLaurenEE
- CommentTimeMay 9th 2011
Posted By: suicide_doors
Posted By: eaglerockmy understanding is that the effort to revive Weylandt was broadcast live.
I made the mistake of tuning in right when it flashed on a news site. It was graphic.
Oh my god it was graphic. I read that they were editing out video/pictures, but apparently not. Ugh, how awful.
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