In the moments after the crash, bodies were strewn all over the road (click to enlarge).
By now you’ve likely seen the horrific stage 3 crash that temporarily brought the 2015 Tour de France to a screeching halt. Midway through the run from Antwerp to Huy in Belgium, a slight touch of wheels set off a cascade of carnage that knocked a handful of riders out of the race, including then-yellow jersey holder Fabian Cancellara.
In the moments after dozens of riders hit the deck (and some smashed into a nearby lamp post), race officials neutralized the race, saying that because all the on-race medical staff was tied up dealing with the mass pile-up, it wasn’t safe for the rest of the riders to continue. Say what you will about that call, but you cant deny that cycling is indeed a hardman’s sport. Where else can you go skidding across pavement protected by little more than underwear and a lightweight helmet?
Here’s what the aftermath of the crash looked like through the eyes of one of the ORICA-GreenEDGE mechanics, who did his best to keep his riders going. Unfortunately, there was nothing that could be done for team leader Simon Gerrans, who’s seen near the end of the video holding his wrist. That wrist, it turns out, was broken, ending Gerrans’ race.
Photo Thumbnails (click to enlarge)
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- In the moments after the crash, bodies were strewn all over the road.
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- Team mechanics did their best to first find their rider’s bikes…
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- …and then repair them as best as possible.
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- Some bikes were beyond repair and had to be replaced.
Amazing footage, shows how much work a crash requires of the crew.
I’m wondering what happened to the one riders helmet, it appears it came off his head during the crash. I wouldn’t want to put a crashed helmet back onto a rider, as it may be damaged.
Also, one can see how dangerous this can be for the crew, as the guy wearing the camera almost gets swiped by another team car as he swings around the front.
You can also see how long Fabianne stays on the pavement.
These guys are good!