RIP Wouter Weylandt

[SheFly]

Not sure if many of you have seen the news, but this morning, Wouter Weylandt died racing Stage 3 of the Giro. It's a sad day for professional racing.

Thoughts and prayers go to his family, teammates and fellow racers.

SheFly

[owlice]

Yeah, I saw that a few minutes ago. Very sad.

[azfiddle]

I was just reading it moments ago. Very sad ....

[spokewench]

Just heard about it a couple of minutes ago. It is tragic. I'm always surprised that it doesn't happen more often.

[OakLeaf]

Oh, man. How awful.

[Velocivixen]

May he rest in peace. Very sad indeed.

[Norse]

Awful. Just awful. Here's a short summary of his much too short life: http://velonews.competitor.com/2011/05/news/wouter-weylandt-biography_171968.

[ny biker]

http://twitpic.com/4vkz1p

From Graham Watson: No Giro update, no point. I'll remember Wouter Weylandt as a happy man, winning a stage of the 2009 Vuelta: R.I.P

[Crankin]

Terrible.
According to what I read on Universal Sports, there's been concern about this year's route, in terms of safety on the descents. Although, today's route wasn't one that was on the list as possibly unsafe.

[Aggie_Ama]

My husband told me and I was tearing up over the Cycling News Article. So young, so tragic, his wife is pregnant, just so much about this is sad. Prayers to his family, his friends and the peloton.

Crankin - the reports I read was the riders considered the descent technical but the pavement was good and it seems overall they weren't concerned about this one. If I remember correctly this is not the first time concerns over the safety of the Giro has been voiced.

[LivetoRide]

I just heard of this when I stopped by my LBS a little while ago. Very sad.

[PscyclePath]

From what the bike press is saying, he had a pedal strike a curb or short wall while descending at speed, and it was enough to knock him off the bike, apparently landing face-first to the pavement and tumbling for some 60 feet/20 meters. Skull fractures in the forehead, and traumatic brain injury.

He was wearing a helmet, but helmets aren't designed to take that much of an impact.

[jobob]

Universal Sports has put up a video report in place of the Stage 3 recap

http://www.universalsports.com/video/assetid=58900591-7164-465c-b31e-10237163e308.html#watch+live+now+giro+news+show

[solobiker]

My heart goes out to his family.:(

[TrekTheKaty]

Just heard. My sympathies to his team, friends and family.

[channlluv]

I'm watching right now as Tyler Farrar is riding the final 10k with the Leopard Trek team. There are church bells ringing in the town.

I am weeping. Beautiful tribute.

Roxy

[SheFly]

Roxy - I am at work watching as well. A beautiful tribute today. And glad to have the tissues nearby.

SheFly

[jobob]

Leopard Trek just announced that they're leaving the Giro. Understandable.

[ny biker]

Leopard Trek just announced that they're leaving the Giro. Understandable.

Farrar is also not continuing after today.

[channlluv]

I imagine it would be hard to continue to race with any kind of energy after what they did today.


Roxy

[Aggie_Ama]

I am glad Leopard-Trek and Farrar rode today for Wouter but I also agree with them leaving. They need time to grieve their friend. It was a beautiful thing they did today, the reports were that they did it for Wouter's family who had come to Italy. So moving.

[radacrider]

I am glad Leopard-Trek and Farrar rode today for Wouter but I also agree with them leaving. They need time to grieve their friend. It was a beautiful thing they did today, the reports were that they did it for Wouter's family who had come to Italy. So moving.

+1
Friend told me at work today, watched the stage 4 tribute ride after I got home, sad, tearful, quite a tribute.

[malkin]

Sad sad sad.

[jelee1311]

I just saw the repeat of stage 4, made me cry.

[ny biker]

All the riders, team staff and race staff at the Tour of California will be wearing a special Road ID:

http://yfrog.com/h0a0prfj