Kristina Volgel

ddraver

https://www.rad-net.de/nachrichten/bahn ... 45254.html

keef_zip

That is so sad. I had wondered what had happened, given the lack of news.

blazing_saddles

We kind of figure this was the case.
Becky will be very upset.
Minsk and Rio: the closest of encounters.

In English now.

http://www.espn.com/espnw/sports/articl ... ning-crash

twotoebenny

Terrible news, very sad. She was a classy sprinter

dabber

I had a horrible feeling that would be the final outcome. So very sad and hope that the strength and willpower she undoubtedly has will see her through.

Lanterne_Rogue

Feared the worst when there hadn't been any news for a while - sad to have it confirmed.

Bottom briquettes

That’s terrible.

salsiccia1

What a shitter. What more can you say.

awavey

feared it was the case when there had been so little news on her condition and during the Euros Miriam Welte was in tears winning the bronze medal for Kristina,plus they had that crowd funding thing going

Pross

Terrible news, I hadn’t heard about her crash before.

Vino'sGhost

Terrible shame, i hope she finds peace and new things to focus on.

the article don

Seems a very determined character. Wouldn’t be surprised if she now becomes an inspirational hero figure in the vein of Alex Zanardi

Lanterne_Rogue

Speigel interview: http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/olympic-cyclist-kristina-vogel-left-paralyzed-by-june-accident-a-1227200.html#ref=rss

Has all the details, really - sounds like she's got an optimistic attitude, but has said she's not yet thinking about paralympic sport because she doesn't yet know what she can and can't do. Given her tone elsewhere in the interview (at one point she jokes about training in secret with tension bands because she's so impatient) it wouldn't be a huge surprise to see her doing so though. Long way to go before she's fit enough to really contemplate that though, given the injuries she has.

blazing_saddles

From her latest press meeting.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cycling/45498324

davidof

It must have been a big crash - or did she collide with something. I've crashed at speed on a banked wooden track after someone who'd not ridden the track before rode straight up the banking into the lineout - broke my frame where it collided with another bike, I've still got the scars 35 years later but I was only slightly hurt.

ddraver

Some one...

A Dutch junior rider who was (I think) practicing starts. They were unhurt.

blazing_saddles

davidof wrote:

It must have been a big crash - or did she collide with something. I've crashed at speed on a banked wooden track after someone who'd not ridden the track before rode straight up the banking into the lineout - broke my frame where it collided with another bike, I've still got the scars 35 years later but I was only slightly hurt.

ddraver wrote:

Some one...

A Dutch junior rider who was (I think) practicing starts. They were unhurt.

As much as I can remember, having been told, was that KV was practicing the team sprint, with I believe, Pauline Grabosch.
So, she was sat on her wheel.
I can't recall how the Dutch rider got in the way, but PG, being on the front managed to avoid hitting her, but KV being unsighted, didn't have time to react.
Then you have the fact that the track in Cottbus is concrete.

Lanterne_Rogue

Blazing Saddles wrote:

davidof wrote:

It must have been a big crash - or did she collide with something. I've crashed at speed on a banked wooden track after someone who'd not ridden the track before rode straight up the banking into the lineout - broke my frame where it collided with another bike, I've still got the scars 35 years later but I was only slightly hurt.

ddraver wrote:

Some one...

A Dutch junior rider who was (I think) practicing starts. They were unhurt.

As much as I can remember, having been told, was that KV was practicing the team sprint, with I believe, Pauline Grabosch.
So, she was sat on her wheel.
I can't recall how the Dutch rider got in the way, but PG, being on the front managed to avoid hitting her, but KV being unsighted, didn't have time to react.
Then you have the fact that the track in Cottbus is concrete.

As well as being unsighted, it sounds from Volgel's comments as if she assumed her partner was swinging off rather than moving up the banking to avoid someone. Nasty combination of circumstances and timing if so.

awavey

underlayunderlay wrote:

As well as being unsighted, it sounds from Volgel's comments as if she assumed her partner was swinging off rather than moving up the banking to avoid someone. Nasty combination of circumstances and timing if so.

obvious question, or maybe it isnt, but howcome that combination of circumstances were allowed to develop in that way, youd not have thought it remotely sensible to be either allowing or doing practise starts which I assume means gated starts as well, whilst others were on the track training in a team sprint, even if they dont collide theyll both be interfering in each overs work

ddraver

...I dunno

It gets even stranger as she says in one of the interviews (I think the OP) that she's seen similar close calls on that track before. It sounds very...un-german... in terms of organisation.

I slightly understand why the track coach we had at Amsterdam was such a d1ck now though....

knedlicky

Blazing Saddles wrote:

Then you have the fact that the track in Cottbus is concrete.

I think the actual track surface at Cottbus is a synthetic resin coating, maybe 4-7 mm thick, on top of the concrete, but since resins tend to be rigid, the surface coating probably doesn't reduce the hardness that much.

N0bodyOfTheGoat

awavey wrote:

underlayunderlay wrote:

As well as being unsighted, it sounds from Volgel's comments as if she assumed her partner was swinging off rather than moving up the banking to avoid someone. Nasty combination of circumstances and timing if so.

obvious question, or maybe it isnt, but howcome that combination of circumstances were allowed to develop in that way, youd not have thought it remotely sensible to be either allowing or doing practise starts which I assume means gated starts as well, whilst others were on the track training in a team sprint, even if they dont collide theyll both be interfering in each overs work

When i read the BBC article earlier, the whole circumstances of this accident rang alarm bells, as described in the article...

Who on earth thought it was good practice to have track cyclists smashing it at 25-40mph at the same time as other cyclists are on the track practising their starts?

I'm going to put my American hat on... Sue the cycling federation for awful health and safety practice.

slowbike

NitrousOxide wrote:

Who on earth thought it was good practice to have track cyclists smashing it at 25-40mph at the same time as other cyclists are on the track practising their starts?

I'm going to put my American hat on... Sue the cycling federation for awful health and safety practice.

Kristina Volgel hasn't (afaik) blamed anyone for the accident - so to suggest it's always someone else's fault is a bit much - sure the coaches could've/should've - but then the riders would know what's going on on the track too - and they could've/should've too.

ddraver

I was about to comment on how dissapointing it was that the BBC has left the description of the Dutch rider/team hanging in a clear and pathetic attempt to suggest blame and lament what douchbags the British media can be...

They know their market I s'pose...

awavey

its not about seeking or suggesting blame on anyone. when I first read about the crash Id assumed it had been an atypical track mass sprint touch of wheels and not too dissimilar to what happened to Vicky Barnes/Williamson.

but to then hear actually it was from a situation that could have been entirely preventable with just a little bit more applied thought, its harder to accept that it could have happened at all.

blazing_saddles

awavey wrote:

its not about seeking or suggesting blame on anyone. when I first read about the crash Id assumed it had been an atypical track mass sprint touch of wheels and not too dissimilar to what happened to Vicky Barnes/Williamson.

but to then hear actually it was from a situation that could have been entirely preventable with just a little bit more applied thought, its harder to accept that it could have happened at all.

Even warm ups between track race sessions can seem crazy.
Cottbus is probably the big Summer training venue.
Unfortunately, this is the way things have been done in the past.
Maybe things will change now, but who knows?

ddraver wrote:

I was about to comment on how dissapointing it was that the BBC has left the description of the Dutch rider/team hanging in a clear and pathetic attempt to suggest blame and lament what douchbags the British media can be...

They know their market I s'pose...

One thing for certain, the Dutch rider was not to blame.
Nothing, the BBC puts into print these days, surprises me any more.
They seem to have an agenda for pretty much everything.

ddraver

Good to hear, thanks Saddles.

davidof

ddraver wrote:

Some one...

I'm thinking after crashing, did she slide down the track and hit something.

ddraver

Well probably. I don't really see the need to give it an autopsy, but I suspect it was the 60kph crash that did the damage.

If you slide down a track after a crash you'll hit something...even if it's just the floor...

davidof

ddraver wrote:

Well probably. I don't really see the need to give it an autopsy, but I suspect it was the 60kph crash that did the damage.

or not, I'd imagine that kind of damage to here back to be caused by hitting a bike frame or colliding with something at the edge of the track.

ddraver

I think we re arguing semantics here and this is a bit too serious for that...