Friday, April 10, 2009

Paris-Roubaix 2009




A lot of sports stuff is happening in the u.s, Masters, frozen four, MLB opening days not to mention my birthday next week I haven't forgotten the best damn spring classic Paris-Roubaix! But this year Three spectators were seriously injured Sunday when a motorcycle crashed into fans watching the Paris-Roubaix cycling race, a one-day classic won by Belgium's Tom Boonen.
Three people were taken by helicopter to hospitals in Lille and Valenciennes for further
scans, two for abdominal injuries and a woman who was briefly knocked unconscious, said Philippe Sudres, a spokesman for race organizer Amaury Sport Organization.
"Doctors do not think their (lives) are in danger, but we have to wait for the results," Sudres said.
About a dozen others needed medical treatment, Sudres said.
The motorcycle belonged to race organizers to provide regular time checks for riders, he said. It appeared to lose control and swerved sideways into the side of the road.

Boonen broke away from the pack about 10 miles from the finish and comfortably won one of cycling's toughest classics a third time. Italy's Filippo Pozzato was 47 seconds behind, and Norway's Thor Hushovd was third, 1 minute, 17 seconds back.
Last year, Boonen beat former champion Fabian Cancellara of Switzerland in a sprint finish. He also won in 2005. Some recovery time is now needed for some of the riders at the top to start to train for a second peak at the Tour de France this July. This transition time always places strange stressors on the riders. Like fitting in family obligations,travel,changes in weather,changes in diet, reflection on the first part of the season can all set up a stressful state for the athlete and that lowers the immune response as well as slowing the
recovery time.



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