Yes. It has happened a few times. Most recently was John-Lee Augustyn (2007 TDF), riding for Barlow World. He over shot the corner on one particular decent and went over the edge. He was lucky that he was able to scramble back up the slope but his bike went down to the bottom.

He needed to wait around 10 minutes (from memory) for his team car to get a new bike to him. Scary stuff...

Good ol' Johan Bruyneel took a dive off a cliff in the 1996 tdf on a descent and got pretty banged up. Very impressive fall. But, he survived and finished the race.

Who was the guy that crashed in the '09 Giro that almost died? That one was crazy!

Edited by Karl Hungus 2010-07-22 2:24 AM

I remember this one (2008 TdF). It looked horrific when he went over the barrier.


"Spaniard Oscar Pereiro broke his arm when he crashed in spectacular fashion during the 15th stage of the Tour de France, his team said on Sunday.....

The 2006 Tour champion hit a crash barrier on the descent of the Col d'Agnel and fell some five meters lower down. The medical car was summoned."

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSL202360520080720

Here is some crashes of TDF and Giro,  a couple I've never seen before.  at 1:11 some guy goes over a guard rail and looks to be a ten foot drop or more.      

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=ee9_1246991231
Frank Schleck.   Better video than the one I deleted.

either last year TDF or 08, somebody went over a side of the wall on a switchback and landed on the roadway.  10-15 foot drop.  It was some name rider....can't remember who.

It was Oscar Pereiro in the 08 race.  Google it an there is video montage of the crash.

Edited by BellinghamSpence 2010-07-22 5:23 PM

That was Oscar Pereiro, on Caisse d'Epargne. (See my post above.) It was scary to watch that fall.....

Jan Ullrich - descent of the Col du Peyresourde (Stage 13 of the 2001 TdF)





Edited by D001 2010-07-22 8:44 PM

Dang it D, I just send a pm to your about Jan.  And Lance being gracious.

decent video with music.   John Lee Augustyn crash off the curve....had to have a fan push him back up the hill.  Cycling shoes suck for climbing.....       http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_Rs899C3KQ


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMAJf-hf1Zk
This has at 2:15 the cyclist hitting the camera doof,  also Jan Ulricks tumble.....

Everybody on espn an other sport honks make fun of the skinny boney cyclist,  but they don't really know what GUTS and BIG Cajones these guys have....and I will include the women roadies also, sure they have some big wipeouts. 

Edited by BellinghamSpence 2010-07-22 10:45 PM

Yup, you did. Lance mentions it here:

"Armstrong recalled when he waited for Jan Ullrich in 2001 and when Ullrich waited for him in 2003."

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/armstrong-refuses-to-criticize-cont...

I found another gem....lot of stuff seen before, but not the horse leading the riders around 1:40.... also the great slide for life at the finish.....street must have been coated with KY jelly...
Also, 2008 TDF, some fan jumped the stage and got shoved off by Bernard Hinault?????  Let me know what you think?

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zF3kAoLusAg

While rooting around for something else found this.....  bummer - pic won't load - go to the link and go to Wm. Van Est



wm. Van Est, 1951 tour, leading the tour, punctured on a descent and fell at Col d' Aubisque.  Story halfway down the page here   http://home.tiscali.nl/edwinsel/misc_monuments.htm

Edited by ChrisM 2010-07-23 2:08 PM

Here you go. I downloaded it, and reduced the size. Here's a quote from the page:

"After going a couple of times in a skid he hit a small wall and flew into the ravine. Luckily the Belgian rider Roger Decock saw van Est falling and could arrange help. Behind Wim, the team cars stopped and there was major panic because he was lieing 70 m deep down. When his team manager Pellenaars got out he saw Van Est climbing his way slowly back up the mountain using a chain of tyres. Although he only had brushes and grazes, he was put in an ambulance as his manager fought with photographers who wanted to capture the drama. Yet Van Est got back out of the ambulance and went looking for his bike, "
http://home.tiscali.nl/edwinsel/misc_monuments.htm

Edited by D001 2010-07-24 8:10 PM






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est_van,ravijn 2 (volkskrant,1 mei 2003).jpg (86KB - 17 downloads)

Casartelli did not go over a cliff, he crashed into a barrier.
I live in Austin and the local paper made the very distasteful decision to publish a picture of Casartelli laying on the pavement.  It was very graphic and I still remember it vividly.

Yep. I watched that stage this weekend on the trainer, actually. Shows people scattered around, and Fabio just laying there. Very chilling. They had these big stone blocks spaced a few feet apart at the edge, they think he hit one of those when he came off the bike.

They also showed the ride the next day where USPS rode side by side across the line at the finish.

John