Ouch. I've fallen a few times - crossed wheels at Heffron in a crit, mucking about at Camperdown velodrome, hitting a traffic island at Warriewood circuit in a race... it hurts but you get back on, feel OK but stiffen up later. By the 2nd day you feel really sore and the pain lingers until the wounds finally heal-over just enough. You expect that sort of stuff. But oil slicks are the pits. I was once riding from Marrickville to wherever and had to ride over the Lewisham railway bridge. It's a hard right at the lights, accelerate on a short rise up to the bridge and then a nice drop left past the (very handy) hospital. Except the crest of the rise was coated with an invisible grease slick. Had I been in the saddle I may have stayed upright, but I wasn't. The bike just went... away. After hitting the road and sliding clear I watched 4-wheeled vehicles going through without drama and just shrugged. Whilst picking the bike up and cleaning myself off a motorbike and rider took the same line as me, hit the grease and hit the deck. He was less philosophical about it, shaking a fist angrily at passing cars. How dare they have better traction! How dare they not stop and clean up this mess! It happens. It hurts.
VeloNews.com - Garmin's Christian Vande Velde leaves Tour de France with broken ribs
VeloNews.com - Garmin's Christian Vande Velde leaves Tour de France with broken ribs
Spilled oil from a motorbike that crashed ahead of the peloton is being blamed for the high number of accidents with seven-time winner Lance Armstrong, reigning champion Alberto Contador and last year’s runner-up Andy Schleck all escaping unhurt despite hitting the tarmac.VeloNews.com - Garmin's Christian Vande Velde leaves Tour de France with broken ribs
Christian Vande Velde has been forced out of this year’s Tour de France after breaking two ribs in the crash-marred second stage, his Garmin-Transitions team’s sporting director Matt White told AFP on Monday.VeloNews.com - The Stockeau Massacre: Damage assessment after the Tour de France's second stage
It all started when Lampre rider Francesco Gavazzi crashed out of the breakaway on the Stockeu. A TV motorcycle then crashed while avoiding hitting Gavazzi, and the bike spilled oil on the road. The oil had time to run down the hill by the time the peloton came through a few minutes later, setting off a dangerous domino effect that saw over 60 riders sliding across the road.VeloNews.com - The Stockeau Massacre: Damage assessment after the Tour de France's second stage
“The first thing on my mind after the crash was Andy and Fränk. They are our captains, and of course, I want to show solidarity, respect and loyalty to them and to the race by waiting, even though I lost the jersey,” Cancellara said. “It was the right thing to do, to wait, so everybody comes together to the finish line together. When you have everybody on the ground and people five minutes behind because they can’t find their bike then it’s only normal.”VeloNews.com - The Stockeau Massacre: Damage assessment after the Tour de France's second stage
“But you must also see the other side. The fans, who stand along the road to see cycling, and for the sponsors and the race organizers, who invest so much in the Tour de France — they also deserve respect.”VeloNews.com - The Stockeau Massacre: Damage assessment after the Tour de France's second stage
“I feel frustrated by what happened today,” said Thor Hushovd. “Our team was working hard and we would have had a good chance for victory. I feel like they have taken something away from us today. There were a few sprinters who did not make it to the front group, but there was no reason not to contest the sprint. Everyone made a gentleman’s agreement not to sprint, but I lost an important opportunity to try to win the stage and gain points.”
