Tri-State Velo

The following is an update of Chris Wilson, a member of the TSV Espoir Team. Chris is currently living at the Cycling Center in Belgium racing for the ABC-Aitos Team:

Well I am typing with one hand. And I guess I should come out and say it... I had a very scary crash yesterday.

Basically... we were coming through the start finish and the pack was echelon to the left and accelerating to get good position for a harder than 90 degree right turn about 30 sec up the road. their were a single file line of about 9 guys getting ready to cut a tight line for the turn then the pack massed outward from the last guy in the single line to fill the whole 2 lane wide road. I was in the far right and on the front. like below. (I am the x, these "[" are riders, the"H" are high flower boxes.)

.[ . H .
.[ . .
.[[[ . .
.[[[[ . H .
.[[[[[[[ . .[
.[[[[[[[[[[[x . . [
.[[[[[[[[[[[[[ . H .[[

the bike path to the right of the road had riders in it and it ended, a rider tried to cut over between me and a box and he caught my handle bars with his. He fell fast pulling me with him. we missed the first box but he landed square on the corner of the next and I landed in the box and then rolled off the side.

I was brought to the emergency room with a bruised rib, maybe broken wrist, and a right knee that was so large I could not touch my feet together. they said I was unconscious for about 30 seconds but then I got on my bike, which was fine (brand new also) and tried to ride on but I stopped because my wrist hurt bad when I grabbed the bars, and that woke me up fast. The guy that crashed me had much worse and had some scary injuries.

Laying in the hospital was the hardest because they were prepping my leg for surgery because the swelling was so bad (it looked like the bone had come out from under the knee cap) and the other guy was having almost his whole body x-rayed. That had to be the worst time because when you are alone all you can think is "was that my last bike race" or whatever.

Well after the shots they gave to get rid of swelling they got good x-rays and all the bones are fine for leg chest and wrist, so no surgery needed. I will go to the Dr. Dag (the doctor for Discovery Channel) today after he gets back from Liege Bastone Liege. The swelling is gone though and it looks good, I am remaining positive and I know if I had too I could get on my bike and ride today and that is all that counts. (don't worry I won't, though but the mental relief to at least rotate the pedals without pain would be nice)

To my family: This is racing and these are the situations that make you ask yourself if risky situations are OK for me... because no one gives you an inch when money is involved, and this is a profession like any other, in business or in bike racing.

I will send more info when I have it.

Ann came to the hospital as soon as she knew I was there and it was really nice to have her and Bernard their.

Thanks Everyone
Stay Safe
Christopher Wilson