2012 Tour de France

[Ed W]

Heading into the final week, this year's TDF has been marred by crashes involving spectators, motorcycles, and a television car. But I think this one photo is iconic regarding the inconceivable difficulty of competing in a three week stage race.



This is Laurens Tendam.  He crashed heavily yesterday when he went off the road and landed on his face. After some roadside medical assistance, he finished the race, and went immediately to a hospital where his nose received a dozen stitches.

And he's racing again today.

Stage racers are called "hard men" for good reason.

[Conan71]

Happens every time you try to stop a bike with your face.

[sauerkraut]

Yeah that is one gruling event for sure. I don't really follow cycling and I don't ride a bike so I don't pay much  attention to what goes in in cycling. That is a tuff event for sure. They also have some 100 mile running events that are just as tuff as the TDF,  I think sports like that are overboard, the average guy cannot relate to them..