Greates riders by injured riders thread

[Jan the Man]

I have to say Thomas and Martin's performance in the last few days highlights how tough most cyclists are. Thomas' performance in the TT taking turns and staying with the team until the final kilometer is extremely good especially considering the nature of the event.

Often the heroic stories only get relayed around the tour de france.

What rides by injured riders stand out for you (this can be from any race etc)?

 

[observer]

Johnny Hoogerland after being caught up in the barbed wire springs to mind

 

[spalco]

Pascal Simon 1983 is a famous story.

 

[SetonHallPirate]

Tyler Hamilton finishing fourth in the 2003 Tour de France after breaking his collarbone on Stage 1 comes to mind.

 

[RedheadDane]

How about Chris Horner? Finishing stage 7 in the 2011 Tour while hardly knowing where he was.

 

[Jan the Man]

Hoogerland was pretty epic.

 

[Duke_S]

Fiorenzo Magni in '56 Giro

 

[scholar]

Eddy Merckx in 1975.

 

[Zam_Olyas]

Hamilton was pretty good.

 

[Pulpstar]

Chapeau Thomas, Martin & Contador for yesterday.

Ride of the day: Thomas, broken (pelvis) but not bowed !

 

[Netserk]

Contador winning the Giro in '08 while injured.

X-rays showed Contador suffered a fracture without dislocation in a crash during Saturday's eighth stage from Rivisondoli to Tivoli. The 25-year-old Astana rider said he had no intention of quitting the Italian classic, which had an off-day on Monday.

"Unfortunately, having a small fracture does not make the journey to Milan any easier, but I'm motivated and will try to fight through the pain," Contador said. "The last days my legs (have) felt better and better. The longer (I've been) in the Giro, the better (I've) felt."

 

[ingsve]

Novlene Williams-Mills winning olympic bronze in 4x400m 2012 while suffering from breast cancer deserves a mention in a thread like this.

 

[perico]

Vande Velde in 2009. Finished 7th or 8th in the Tour after seriously injuring his back in the Giro crash.

 

[Afrank]

Fiorenzo Magni in '56 Giro

+100, By far the most epic ride ever that was. What he did there is the stuff of cycling legend.

Another one, Evans at the 2010 Tour riding with a broken elbow. Was pretty heart braking seeing him fall back on the Col de Madeleine while in yellow.

 

[TheBean]

I hadn't heard of Magni's rid prior to your post.

Here's a link to a version of it:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiorenzo_Magni

Unbelievable toughness, courage, and most likely complete insanity!

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

Hamilton Giro 2002, Hamilton in the Tour 2003

 

[Stetoe]

 

[Viking]

Eddy Merckx in 1975.

Broken jaw and liquid diet for the last 4-5 days and he still finished second. That was pretty effin' impressive!