Good Lord! MORE dangerous fans!
 

From today's VeloNews.com tour coverage . . .

What is UP with these people, anyway? I don't remember all these kinds of reports in the past . . . fans knocking down riders and trying to steal their wheels, and THIS?!?! . . . ***?

BBD
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2:49 PM Questions about Savoldelli
We've received a few questions about Paolo Savoldelli and the problems he encountered after the stage yesterday. As you know, Stage 11 finished at a ski area in Spain. Today's stage started in Luchon, France, where most of the teams stayed last night. As you might guess, a lot of riders opted simply to ride back to their hotels rather than wait for the traffic to clear on the only road off of the mountain. Salvoldelli was one of those riders. He was apparently struck in the head by a fan - inadvertently we believe - and he ended up with a cut above his eye that required several stitches. Bruyneel told Jason Sumner this morning that Salvodelli would be fine and would be able to ride the rest of the Tour. He did start today, but withdrew at around 45km.

That's very sad for him. To have to quit the biggest race because someone wasn't paying attention. I was looking forward to a stage when the Falcon was going to fly.

What we need is some undercover security in the crowds to take care of unruly fans. I nominate Mr. T to put the hurt on any and all overzealous fans....bunch a Fooo's

http://members.cox.net/defgav/mrt/ww9-headbutt3.gif



William


PS: I'm sorry he had to pull out. Ridiculous way to have to go out.

Come on, he quit because he didn't want to be there. Not because of 5 stiches..

what he siad

cyclingnews . . .
 

. . . said it was 10 stitches!

BBD

The tour is a dangerous place. Fans can step in front at any moment or whack you with large plastic hands. Of course the really nice ones like to spit on you on the really steep mountain stages.

5 or 10 stitches...it doesn't "look" too bad compared to some of the injuries these guys have and still keep racing. But that is easy for me to say sitting here behind my desk :D

http://www.cyclingnews.com/photos/20..._bd_115411.jpg

Looks like a good little cut with some swelling, but still NOTHING that would normally knock one of these guys out of the tour.

I wonder what they guy said, that cracked him on the head? I bet that has a lot more to do with it, if you know what I mean.

Velonews just upped the bid to 13 stitches plus back pain and headaches. Do I hear 15.....15......

Apparently someone was walking down the mountain and stepped sideways into his path....didn't see him coming and he hit the pavement headfirst.

If you've ever been to a mtn stage in the TdF you know how insanely those guys descend to try and get back to the team buses. I tried to hang with Pena and Rubiera coming through the crowds off Luz Ardiden in 2003 and got dropped after 2-3 turns. I didn't have the stones to bomb through a crowd at 40mph, and they weren't even wearing helmets. They weren't even offering a "hey" or "look out"....guess they figured they were going so fast it would've just spooked the crowd.

Sucks to get taken out like that, but I think Il Falco's ego is what took the biggest beating yesterday.

I'm sure he's sore as H-E-double hockey sticks in other places from going down on the road. The stitches are just what's showing. Heck, I've been opened up much more then that and kept swinging......but then again, I also wasn't going to be clmbing mountains for the next few days.

Cut him some slack Foo's

William ;)

^this is my thought.

race is over dude _ you lost!!
probably got the gash from a well aimed
purse up side his noggin.

or maybe he ran into GH walking his trek up to the finish line.