Yesterday was a wild day for cyclists in the Tour de France. The left Brussels for a small town at the top of a hill in SE Belguim. The course was a typical 138 miles long and, oh yea, did I mention it was raining?
About half way, the group (what is it called? That's right - a Peleton) was descending a winding mountain road when someone hit a slick spot and went down. They all went down, even the chase motorcycles.
As they collected themselves and got back on their bikes I was reminded of one commentator said a few years ago about crashing in the Tour de France. You see they're going about 30-40 mph and they are wearing very little protection. He said to experience the same thing yourself get a friend to drive along a deserted stretch of road at 30 mph. Strip your close off down to your skivvies (underwear) and jump out of the car. Not so fun? That's what it's like to crash in competitive cycling.
They made it to the finish line in a bunch in protest of the dangerous conditions. The governing body will have to sort out who wins what but for the time being all I can think of is how much it would hurt this morning to have been in that crash and then ridden to the finish line 60 miles away.
In a few days the real fun begins, the mountain assents.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
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