Xavier Tondo RIP

[jobiwan]

RIP Xavier.
Not a good way to start my day.
Prayers for his family.

 

[Lyds97]

I remember reading that he drove himself 1500 km through the night to get to Amstel Gold last year, when everyone else was making excuses for themselves; admired him a lot ever since.

RIP Xavier, I know you'll be missed by all of us.

 

[Dewulf]

Do we REALLY need this kind of details?

i can see why this is being discussed - in our concern and shock over the loss of a great rider, some would like to know how exactly a garage door could be responsible. Essentially, it's part of trying to answer the massive question: "Why?"

I am shocked and saddened by this news. Tondo was really on his way up as a grand tour gc contender. A really classy and professional rider. Tragic. Just tragic. My prayers are with his family, friends and the Movistar team.

RIP Xavier.

all in all, my thoughts exactly.

 

[Black-Balled]

i remember reading how he helped to catch this doping ring and thought to myself: this is the kind of rider pro cycling desperately needs.
rip

Yep....everyone wants somebody else to do that.

 

[Angliru]

I actually gaped out loud when I saw this headline. My gosh.

R.I.P

Yeah, me too.

 

[Angliru]

Updated the avatar for those interested...

This month has been such a tragedy for the sport.

Thanks Boomcie. Truly a sad month for cycling.

 

[Zaschrona]

Really, really sad day for cycling.
RIP Xavi.
You will always be in my mind!

 

[titan_90]

very sad to hear this news
R.I.P Xavier

 

[pmcg76]

Today is another very sad day. One year ago today, a very close friend of mine died suddenly at 35. I just came here from writing a dedication on his FB page to dicover another sad death in the cycling world. R.I.P Xavier.

 

[Descender]

Yeah, me too.

Me too... this is just too much.

It took me quite a while to believe it. It's just beyond surreal... I know when something like this happens everybody says how good the deceased person was, but in this case I can say it is absolutely true... Xavi was the purest of souls, he loved cycling, his friends, his family... he had nothing but love to give... I am shattered.

 

[Duitama]

I couldn`t believe it when i heard the news,
very sad, indeed.

RIP Xavier.

 

[ak-zaaf]

unbelievable

goddamned

rip

 

[Arnolfini]

Excuse my ghastly first post here,

Horrible news when I got back from a ride myself..

Another jovial man is taken away from us.
Even if the circumstances of his death may remain unclear, the fact he's gone is a blow. Especially so close after Wouter's death (whom I had met a couple of times the past years). I will remember his smile!

Strength to Tondo's family. Ride in Heaven!

 

[valentius borealis]

When it rains, it pours.

RIP Xavier

 

[ericthesportsman6]

Was shocked and deeply saddened when I heard this. Just awful. A rider in his prime who is such an excellent representative for the sport. RIP

 

[Moviefan1203]

Rest in peace Xavier. I will keep his family and friends in my prayers.

 

[goggalor]

RIP Tondo

 

[Libertine Seguros]

This was a very difficult sentence to read, and an even harder one to compute. Weylandt's death shocked me, but a violent crash on a descent is always a risk in the sport. This came completely out of the blue and completely unexpected.

Xavier Tondó was one of my favourite riders. Is one of my favourite riders. He's a guy who fought for years to get to the top level of the sport, and a guy who few can have had anything against. He was a rider who could climb like an angel one day and fight like a dog the next. When he signed for Cervélo I was happy for him; when he signed for Movistar I was ecstatic. He was the only Spanish male pro on the BikePure roster. Perhaps because it had taken him so long to get the opportunities, he always seemed so happy and thankful when things were going right. He was training for his first ever appearance at cycling's biggest spectacle.

Descansa en pau, Xavi. Et trobarem a faltar.

 

[Mr.DNA]

This is just awful. Wish I could give condolences to his family and friends.

 

[thirteen]

This is just awful. Wish I could give condolences to his family and friends.

BikePure has said they will pass the comments along to his family: http://bikepure.org/2011/05/rip-xavier/

 

[jaylew]

This just sucks. For the first time in forever I went to the ESPN site before going to CN today and even they had a link on the front page but it just referred to a "cyclist". I held my breath before opening the link, selfishly hoping it wasn't anyone I had heard of only to find out it's a guy I really, really liked. He finally had his shot in the top ranks after all those years on smaller squads and really seemed to appreciate it and was a joy to watch. I'm just gutted.

My thoughts to his family and friends. RIP, Xavi.

 

[jobiwan]

This just sucks. For the first time in forever I went to the ESPN site before going to CN today and even they had a link on the front page but it just referred to a "cyclist". I held my breath before opening the link, selfishly hoping it wasn't anyone I had heard of only to find out it's a guy I really, really liked. He finally had his shot in the top ranks after all those years on smaller squads and really seemed to appreciate it and was a joy to watch. I'm just gutted.

My thoughts to his family and friends. RIP, Xavi.

Was also gutted to read this today.

And some of the comments on the ESPN story no respect for life, they're making jokes about his tragic death.
And we Americans wonder why we get a bad rep.

RIP Xavi.

 

[Izzy eviel]

Such a shame. He was one of the good guys!

 

[jens_attacks]

RIP Xavi

i'll always remember that big smile and his style of pedalling when the road used to go up.he will be missed.

Tondo siempre con nosotros

 

[I Watch Cycling In July]

Not again.

Too soon. Way too soon. My condolence to everyone close to Xavier.