Balance. It can be achieved by never deviating from the middle, or it can be achieved by violent swings to and fro. It is said, however, that the great peaks can’t be reached without crossing through deep valleys. Tragically, we were reminded today that our sport is one of great peaks and deep, deep valleys.
Cycling is a sport of risk and danger; the beauty and harmony of a speeding peloton masks the risks and dangers involved. Mountain descents see riders reach speeds of 80 or more kilometers per hour with little to protect them should something go wrong. Stars and watercarriers alike share in the risk; no one is immune.
You have to love this sport intensely to become a professional. The nature of road competition demands great sacrifice in every aspect of the athlete’s life; eat like birds, work like horses, and live like monks. Not only does a professional cyclist spend every waking moment focussed on their sport, but from January to October, they are away from their families as the race calendar carries them all over Europe and, increasingly, the world. This sacrifice is most often in the service of others, as the Stars are few and the Watercarriers many.
While only a few weeks ago we watched as one of these domestiques reached the pinacle of our sport by winning Paris-Roubaix, today we witnessed the tragic swing to the other end as Wouter Weylandt lost his life in the pursuit of his passion. We can be philosophical and say this man lived for his sport and died doing what he loved, but the fact of the matter is that his is a man who, at 26 years old, was in the prime of his life and that he died today is tragic beyond articulation.
As Velominati, we are disciples of cycling. Our lives revolve around cycling. At moments like these, it is unimaginable that life and sport will continue. It will, and we will again reach the peaks. But we breathe still, and our devotion cannot follow where others’ continue.
Today we walk through a valley and mourn as Velominati the tragic loss of a man who gave everything – everything – to his sport. Our deepest sympathies go out to his family, friends, and colleagues.
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It saddens me to think he will never know his child and his child him. He was one of those guys in the peloton that would always pique my interest when I read about him. I'd think, this guys seems cool and is one to watch. Sad day indeed.
Well put. Thanks for this piece, Frank!
thanks for the post Frank, sums up how I feel about this sport and today's news.
I've been looking at my twitter feed for the last few hours, reading the tweets from various pros and the whole peloton seems to be devastated.
I imagine the riders will neutralise tomorrow's stage out of respect.
So, we knew from the route profile that this year's Giro was going to be one of the most brutal, both in terms of elevation but technical difficulty. However, I am not convinced that we should be increasing the brutality to provide spectacle at the cost of a human life, especially as this is one of the "easier" descents over the next three weeks. Last year's Giro proved that a hard route provides a fantastic race (cuddles' face after the zoncolan springs to mind) but I wonder if this year is a step too far.
I'm not going to blame the organisers, not yet, but I am hoping that there won't be further serious injury or another death.
It's a terrible tragedy, sad sad day
Very fitting, Frank. Thank you.
I really haven't been this shaken by the death of someone I've never met. The truth that he really gave everything to cycling is far too true at this moment.
RIP, Wouter.
***************
And on another note, fuck! I hate when the ONLY time cycling gets coverage by the mass media is when there is a doping scandal or a death. FUCK OFF! If you don't care about cyclists and cycling the other 364 days a year, don't start blabbering about it now, you fucking assholes. Instead of discussing something you know nothing about, how about you just stop buzzing all the cyclists you pass who are on "your road."
The community's responses as it was unfolding were very touching, as well.
Tragic. As Marko says, it's terribly sad that he won't meet his baby, or his baby him. My grandfather died in the war in Europe before my dad was born, and it has a lifelong effect. He never knew what it was like to have a dad, and later when he became a dad, he had to do his best without have had the privilege of having a role model to model himself after. That had an impact on us, for better or worse; the effects of today's loss will be felt for generations.
May you rest in peace, Wouter.
And sorry to bring in the (added) negative energy to this, I'm just really worked up right now. First, I haven't been able to stop thinking about Wouter's crash & death since it happened a few hours ago.
And now it crushes me to see people watching replays of the crash, people who don't care at all about cycling or cyclists, as if it's some sort of highlight reel. Have some respect.
@ sgt - yep, me too. No desire to watch a young lad lose his life.
As a father and a cyclist today's Giro took my breathaway as the cameras were far too close initially and then brought tears as I realized what happened....I don't have anything else to say but there seems to be such a void....@ Frank's post, agreed; today's horrible catastrophe will not change any of the actions of the driver's along my commute and that's fucking pathetic. let's all be careful.
@Ron
@sgt
I was half watching it live while writing a job application this afternoon and so I only caught the initial crash out of the corner of my eye. After seeing it again and the actions of the medics, I turned the tv off and didn't watch the rest of the race, and I certainly had tears in my eyes. absolutely tragic. I honestly wish I could unsee it.
gutted. Well said Frank.