CHANGE FONT

Spectator Takes Down Former Giro Champ

By Jessica | Permalink | No Comments | July 14th, 2006 | Trackback

Let’s just say you’re a pro cyclist. And let’s say you’re riding the Tour de France. You get through a tough mountain stage, managing to avoid crashing on what can be perilous descents with switchback corners, and you cross the finish line. You’re done for the day. You’re not Lance Armstrong, however, so you have to ride back down the road you just climbed in order to get to your hotel. Maybe it’s because your guard is down now that the stage is over; maybe it’s because (I’m convinced) at least half of the spectators are idiots even when they are paying attention to the riders… Whatever the equation is, you’re coasting down a hill, dreaming about your massage and a nice, long shower, when - WHAM! - a spectator also making their way down the hill walks out in front of you, and the next thing you know your face is meeting the tarmac.

This is precisely what happened to Discovery Channel’s Paolo Savoldelli after yesterday’s stage. He didn’t finish well, coming in more than 23 minutes back, and then - to add injury to insult - he crashed on his way to the hotel when a spectator walked in front of him. He ended up going to the hospital in order to get 10 stitches over his right eyebrow. And while he did start today’s stage, he abandoned after 43km.

Apparently Tour spectators never learned the old adage about looking both ways before crossing the street.

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