jonnywhite

I just got my hands on a bunch pictures from a friend and thought I'd share a story. One thing that was fairly well-documented in the pics is George (a friend from South Africa and the 2nd place racer)having roadside surgery on a fall wound. George is a real character and an EFI rider. He was awfully displeased with himself for the fall ("well, this is really going to slow down my afternoon"). He had to walk back to the lunch truck for 22 stitches that put a dent of 2-3 hours into his race time. He didn't even consider riding the truck. A few laughs were had at his expense as nurse John and doctor Toby put him back together, while in their cycling gear, with him laid out in the dirt on camp stools covered in flies. These guys are good and you would never know what a wound it was, the way it has healed. The same goes for 7 or 8 other riders who have had stitches thus far. It's amazing what can be done when you have no other options and also the resilience of the riders who have had the misfotune of accidents (not to mention illness and bike problems). I recorded the surgery with some unease and am keeping my fingers crossed not to be added to the patient list anytime soon.