Tuesday, May 10, 2011

They Made It.......all accept one

The Giro rushed by me as I scrambled to take pictures fast enough to catch the riders. First the bikes then the cars with the extra bikes then the police escort. The Spanish cyclist Angel Vicioso was in the lead and zoomed easily through the big pink finish line.

Cycle "enthusiasts"
Then came the bad news. The 26 year old Belgian cyclist Wouter Weylandt from Team Leopard-Trek, didn't make it to Rapallo. Just 12 miles before Rapallo, Weylandt lost control of his bike for just a split second whilst heading downhill and going 50mph. He fell and tumbled to his death. The award ceremony for the days stage winner was cancelled, the mood was somber and most everyone went home to watch the news to find out just what happened. When I turned on the news I found out that Weylandt pregnant girlfriend was in route to Milan to meet Wouter at his next stage. She was still on a plane and while the rest of us watched the loop of footage of the medics working in vain to revive him on the side of the road, she didn't even know yet.
It started off as such a great day but now with such a sad ending. Here is Wouter's wesite link.