Originally Posted by
patentcad
You got that right. I get the feeling that if parents really knew the damage their kids sustain playing football it would spell the end of the sport as families say 'no way' to letting their boys participate in the first place.
so they put them in soccer where they learn how to roll around like they've been shot, faking an injury...
Just kidding...
The thing about bike racing is that you are riding along with 100+ guys for 3-5 hours. In the middle of that peloton, there's contact all the time. People's minds wander. The skill is not going down and taking 40 other people with you...some of you think a CAT 4 race where one guy in front of you gets on the brakes and a couple people go down...think of those wrecks you've seen that look like dominos going down...or those big sprint wrecks....
It's a lot better than it used to be. Back in the toe clip days you didn't separate from the bike...think of a sprint wreck with a pack where the bike is whipping your legs around. No helmets....those little strap things were better than nothing, but not much.
It's extremely sad that a rider lost his life. Remember when Kivilev passed when he hit his helmetless head on the pavement in Paris-Nice? After that they began to phase in mandatory helmets, now required all the time. But even with all that, it's still a dangerous sport.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZy-tPkZ3W4
This is from the end of last year's Indy 500...I used to crew in the series. Having raced bikes and knowing a bunch of people in the Indy Car business, I greatly respect the danger in all sports. A couple of Indy Car drivers have tried bike racing. They think Indy Car racing is safer. The guy in the flying car, Mike Conway won a couple of weeks ago.