Pain on a push-bike

I am amazed at the resilience of someone like Cadel Evans. Not only has the amazing strength and endurance to race the Tour de France, but he has the amazing capacity to bounce back from a bad accident and win the yellow jersey in the latest leg of the Tour.

I can remember what a wuss I was the couple of times I had a significant bingle while riding my bike. On one occasion, I was blown sideways by one of Melbourne's infamous massive wind tunnel crosswinds, pushed into parked cars and hence over my handlebars.

Besides some bruises and sore hands, the worst I had was a graze on my chest near my collarbone, which I luckily didn't break. I was shaken, but picked myself up in daze, thankful that there was no car behind me to crash into me. I limped, almost shell-shocked, into work later that morning. But like I said, I was a it of a wuss about it. Though shaken up, I was pretty right to ride home later that evening – very cautiously and slowly. I am not being conceited in comparing my petty little bingle in my little bike-commuting history. I just couldn't imagine doing a grueling mountain bike race in that condition.

But Cadel Evans is a different beast. He suffered bad grazes and bruises in the bad accident he had a couple of days ago, and was quite fearful that he would not be able to finish the race if the injuries were worse that was known at the time. I was quite shocked when I read the news of the accident yesterday morning, as I have been really hoping that Cadel will win this year's race. But, not only did he pick himself up, but he kept on racing, and kept himself in a good position in the race.

All that was reported yesterday morning is that he was racing again, and had received medical attention from the Tour doctor – leaning out of a moving convertible. It turns out the injuries were not 'serious' – whatever his team representatives mean by that – and though still in pain and bruised, he started again the next (yesterday) morning, and ran an excellent race to win the latest leg. He is now leading the race. The ABC has video footage of Cadel getting the yellow jersey online.

Good on you, Cadel. You're amazing, and I wish you all the best for the rest of the race.