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The Tour de France–cycling’s most reputable race–is currently underway, but you already knew that. Or probably not. Most Americans treat cycling in soccer in that they only tune in for a gnarly crash or a bicycle kick, respectively. Cycling’s lack of popularity does not diminish its worth–cyclists are physical specimen (check out this guy’s fucking legs!) and riding in a car for 2,082 miles over two weeks would be exhausting, nevermind riding a two-wheeler up twisting hills.
But I did not bring you here to harp on the rigors of cycling, I brought you here to present the rigors of flipping over your bike at 30 mph and tumbling down a hill. That’s what happened to Belgium rider Philippe Gilbert while descending France’s Portet d’Aspet. Check it out below.
Scary moment as Philippe Gilbert crashed while descending the Portet d’Aspet. Good news: he is back on his bike and racing. #TDF2018 pic.twitter.com/iIHFsUSIim
— NBC Sports Cycling (@NBCSCycling) July 24, 2018
Cue Outkast’s ‘Roses’ — ‘Crash, crash, crAaAash into a ditch.’
Gilbert clamored back onto the roadway and was attended to by Tour doctors and Quick-Step officials. Gilbert gave a thumbs up to the TV cameras and climbed back on his bike.
Gilbert doggedly pushed on, with his left elbow and knee bloodied.
The descent is the same pass where Fabio Carsartelli crashed and died in 1995.
Italian cyclist and an Olympic gold medalist died in a crash on the same descent during the 15th stage of the 1995 Tour de France. Now I feel like a dick for the Outkast joke.
Tour de France crashes have historically been wild. Just in the past few years, there have been some scary ones that cyclists have been lucky enough to walk away from.
Warren Barguil rides Geraint Thomas off the road. #TDF #TDF2015 pic.twitter.com/i4U1drE1Bo
— Alex Oates (@Velocentric) July 20, 2015
Luckily, Gilbert won this dance with the devil.
[h/t For The Win]