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[HokieJoe]

What a shame. She was a pretty girl.


Unprecedented Carnage in Germany

Amy Gillet Tribute

Cycling News

Unprecedented carnage in Germany

By Gerard Knapp
Cycling Australia CEO Graham Fredericks
Photo ©: Gerard Knapp Click for larger image

A clearly shaken head of Australian cycling's governing body updated the assembled media about the condition of the female cyclists from the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) cycling team that were struck yesterday in Germany while on a training ride (see earlier report).

At a press conference held at the Dunc Gray Velodrome in Sydney, Graham Fredericks, CEO of Cycling Australia, said the sport was still in shock over the tragedy that took the life of one rider, Amy Gillett, and put her five team-mates in hospital.

The riders were "out for a bit of a leg-stretch" after the long drive up from Italy and had decided to check over the time trial course for the Thuringen Rundfahrt, Germany's major tour for female cyclists. Riding as a group, they were on a descent and understood to have picked up some speed, when they were struck head-on by an out-of-control car being driven in the opposite direction.

The impact of the crash left almost unparalled destruction among a cycling team, at least among Cyclingnews' archives of serious accidents. To have one rider left dead and another five hospitalised - and all from the same team - is virtually unprecedented carnage.

Fredericks provided updates on the team and he said every person in Australia was holding out for the riders in serious condition. The story had become the lead item for all major news outlets, with Prime Minister John Howard releasing a statement earlier in the day expressing his sorrow.

Based on information made available, the latest status on the team is as follows:

Alexis Rhodes, 20 - still in the intensive care unit and her condition is described as "critical". Alexis is understood to have multiple fractures in the thoracic region (the part of the trunk between the neck and the abdomen);

Louise Yaxley, 23 - now stabilised, but her condition is still considered "serious" (which is one level down from "critical");

Katie Brown, 22 - at first it was thought Katie may lose a leg, but Fredericks said surgery on her leg was considered successful. In "serious" condition and in recovery after sustaining multiple fractures;

Lorian Graham, 27 - in a "satisfactory" condition. Understood to have both collarbones broken, plus broken hands, as well as knee and leg injuries;

Katie Nichols, 20 - in a "satisfactory" condition. Had severe deep tissue damage including torn tendons, but again, surgery was considered successful.

Amy Gillett, 29 - deceased.

Fredericks said all cyclists are still in two hospitals (Graham is in separate hospital) after being airlifted from the scene by German paramedics. He understood the level of medical care was excellent. "The German specialists have been outstanding," he said, and that the "Australian Government has been tremendous in its support."

The team was riding along the Landstrasse between Zeulenroda and Auma (Kreis Greiz), reconnoitering the course of the opening time trial of the Thueringen Rundfahrt stage race which was scheduled to start today. A car driven by an 18-year woman skidded off the right hand side of the road and overcorrected getting back onto the tarmac. The driver, who had passed her test just four weeks before, apparently lost control of the car and crossed into the lane where the team was riding, hitting all six riders.

Cycling Australia and the Australian Sports Commission have arranged for the parents of the riders to be on the first available flight to Germany, and they will be joined by Peter Bartels, the chairman of the Australian Sports Commission, who also flies out of Melbourne today.

Other support staff from the AIS cycling program's base in Novellara, Italy, are on their way to Germany, as are two psychologists to assist with counselling. Fredericks said the tragedy will have a major affect on the AIS women's cycling program, considered the most successful development system in women's cycling.

"It goes without saying the program will be wound-down as our focus turns to the athletes' well-being," Fredericks said.

Former members of the AIS women's team such as leading professionals Oenone Wood, Olivia Gollan, Sara Carrigan and Rochelle Gilmore are all in Europe racing for European-based teams, and Cyclingnews understands the news has devastated the close-knit Australians.

It was only one week earlier that the embattled CEO fronted Australia's media in the same venue over the end to the Mark French affair, where an emerging sprinter was cleared of a doping suspension, but along the way attempted to implicate the AIS, its staff and riders. As one CA staffer said, "this really puts that into perspective, doesn't it?"

Update: The first stage of the Thueringen Rundfahrt has been cancelled. A service of commemoration will be held instead at 5:30pm on Tuesday in Zeulenroda's market place.

 

[Escape Goat]

Not to belittle her death or her teammates injuries but does that constitue "UNPRECENDENTED CARNAGE IN GERMANY!!!!"

I guess WWII really didn't happen over there.

 

[Squirrel Killer]

Not to belittle her death or her teammates injuries but does that constitue "UNPRECENDENTED CARNAGE IN GERMANY!!!!"

It's a cycling sports web site, so it's pretty obvious that the precedents it's using for comparison are other accidents in the cycling world.

 

[speedpop]

Wonder how the driver feels. Probably ratshit.

 

[Escape Goat]

It's a cycling sports web site, so it's pretty obvious that the precedents it's using for comparison are other accidents in the cycling world.

Even still its sensationalist journalism.

 

[Zaptruder]

Even still its sensationalist journalism.

No. You're just been a sensationalistic asshole that can't intepret or won't intepret in context.

 

[Escape Goat]

No. You're just been a sensationalistic asshole that can't intepret or won't intepret in context.

Fantastic. Your personal attack causes me great pain. Hope you are happy.

 

[HokieJoe]

Hamburglar, it's a cycling only website run out of Sydney, Australia. I'm sure it is devestating to have six women cyclists on their national team wiped out by an auto accident.

It's a trajedy any way you look at it.

 

[Escape Goat]

Yes, I understand what you are saying.

but what does it matter? Sucks that she dead and some people got hurt.

 

[Squirrel Killer]

Imagine the headlines here if Richard Garriott was killed, and Peter Molyneux, Sid Meier, Shigeru Miyamoto, Tim Schafer, and Kazunori Yamauchi were hurt in a avalanche of E3 booth babes. It's not a hyperbole to say it'd be a disaster even despite such greater tragedies are commonplace.

Ask someone who escaped the WTC 5 minutes before they collapsed what affected them more, 9/11, the 2004 tsunami, or six bicyclists getting hit by a single car. Ask someone who live in Indonesia. Ask the coach of the six riders. Let people tell their stories in their own words.

 

[callous]

In other news:

15,000 people in Africa died today. Their deaths could have been prevented. 15,000 more will die tomorrow. Probably not while doing something they love to do.

 

[Squirrel Killer]

...and I'm sure those tragedies are covered in as breathless prose as cyclingnews's in their local media.

 

[HokieJoe]

Here's a pic of Amy Gillet. She had a nice smile.

 

[callous]

Well, my point was, that while it makes sense to print this on Cyclingnews, it doesn't make a lot of sense to bring it to the attention of GAF in a manner that seems to encourage a united feeling of sadness and loss.

I don't give a fuck, for example, and I'm quite caring.

 

[Mama Smurf]

Here's a pic of Amy Gillet. She had a nice smile.

Has she found the One Ring?

 

[Escape Goat]

Can we leave the jokes out of the thread? Unprecendented carnage has just taken place.

 

[Squirrel Killer]

Well, my point was, that while it makes sense to print this on Cyclingnews, it doesn't make a lot of sense to bring it to the attention of GAF in a manner that seems to encourage a united feeling of sadness and loss.

My point is that the wording is appropriate to cyclingnews.com, and since HokieJoe is just copying and pasting, Teh Hamburglar looks like a unthinking troll getting his panties in a twist over the wording, and whining about "REMEMBAR TEH HALOCOST!"

 

[Escape Goat]

My point is that the wording is appropriate to cyclingnews.com, and since HokieJoe is just copying and pasting, Teh Hamburglar looks like a unthinking troll getting his panties in a twist over the wording, and whining about "REMEMBAR TEH HALOCOST!"

Good lord, making a simple statement is trlling now. End yourself now. Its the only option.

 

[callous]

My point is that the wording is appropriate to cyclingnews.com, and since HokieJoe is just copying and pasting, Teh Hamburglar looks like a unthinking troll getting his panties in a twist over the wording, and whining about "REMEMBAR TEH HALOCOST!"

You do have a point, but "unprecedented carnage"? Hamburgler has a point too.

 

[Tarazet]

Well, my point was, that while it makes sense to print this on Cyclingnews, it doesn't make a lot of sense to bring it to the attention of GAF in a manner that seems to encourage a united feeling of sadness and loss.

I don't give a fuck, for example, and I'm quite caring.

Yeah, it would have been better for all involved if this thread hadn't happened.. or at least folded into the TdF thread where those who read it would have cared. (I hope.)

The writer of the article is known for being overenthusiastic, but Jeff Jones is pretty level-headed.

 

[HokieJoe]

I don't give a fuck, for example, and I'm quite caring.

callous
Member
(Today, 02:57 PM)
Reply | Quote


Interesting point.

What's the point of posting about any kind of trajedy then? I see trajedy posts like this here a fair amount. Do you chirp in in all of those threads to say, "I don't give a f***"?

Understand, it's fine that you don't care, but then why post other than to be contrary?

 

[Squirrel Killer]

You do have a point, but "unprecedented carnage"? Hamburgler has a point too.

In. The. Cycling. World.

Good lord, making a simple statement is trlling now. End yourself now. Its the only option.

Please. If "Can we leave the jokes out of the thread? Unprecendented carnage has just taken place." isn't trolling SomethingAwful.com just lost it's reason for being.

 

[callous]

Yeah, it would have been better for all involved if this thread hadn't happened.. or at least folded into the TdF thread where those who read it would have cared. (I hope.)

I'm a huge TdF fan, and I still don't care at all. Chances would theoretically have been greater in that thread though!

 

[callous]

Understand, it's fine that you don't care, but then why post other than to be contrary?

Because I'm singling you out, Hokie. I've been following you for quite a while, and now was my chance to strike.

Squirrel, I know they are talking about the cycling world. The wording is still crossing into sensationalism and bad taste.

 

[Squirrel Killer]

Squirrel, I know they are talking about the cycling world. The wording is still crossing into sensationalism and bad taste.

Unless you've got some stats on how many motorists score a golden sombrero of cyclists, I'm going to rely on cyclingnews.com's assertion that this type of accident is unprecendented in the cycling world. They're not talking about WWII, nor 9/11, nor tsunamis, nor famine, nor kittens killed via masterbation, nor drunk driver caused deaths, nor any of that. If you really know that they are talking about the cycling world, you know that this type of accident is really unprecendented.

 

[HokieJoe]

Because I'm singling you out, Hokie. I've been following you for quite a while, and now was my chance to strike.

:lol

So now the truth comes out.

I see a widely divergent mix of posts here. I didn't think that it was that out of place here in the OT.

*sigh*

Oh well

 

[Tarazet]

Unfortunately, it is that out of place. A lot of people here who are following the Tour thread don't realize that anyone exists besides Lance.

<glare>

...Not that I'm naming any names.

 

[callous]

Carnage. It' the word carnage that doesn't count in their favour. Unprecedented accident, tragedy, whatever, but carnage? Sensationalism.

Sonarrat, thankfully he'll be gone next year and there'll once again be some excitement to be had.

 

[Shinobi]

Well, my point was, that while it makes sense to print this on Cyclingnews, it doesn't make a lot of sense to bring it to the attention of GAF in a manner that seems to encourage a united feeling of sadness and loss.

I don't give a fuck, for example, and I'm quite caring.

...and yet you clicked the thread, and posted twice...

I love dark humour as much as anyone, but some of the posts in this thread are beyond stupid. What's happened here is an unprecedented tragedy in the same way the plane crash that killed seven players from Manchester United in 1958 was an unprecedented tragedy in that sport. It's totally relative to the sport in question, and pretty easy to understand for anyone with more then two working brain cells.

And seriously, if I had witnessed an out of control car careening through a group of six bicyclists, "carnage" would be one of the first words that would pop into my head.

 

[LakeEarth]

Carnage seems to work with me. How did one car hit 6 people?

 

[Escape Goat]

How did one car hit 6 people?

I imagine they were riding in a row and she took em out.

 

[Zaptruder]

Carnage. It' the word carnage that doesn't count in their favour. Unprecedented accident, tragedy, whatever, but carnage? Sensationalism.

Sonarrat, thankfully he'll be gone next year and there'll once again be some excitement to be had.

As far as bicycling goes, 6 down in one go is pretty crushing. Hell, I can't even hit that many in GTASA in 1 minute if I tried.

 

[Azih]

is virtually unprecedented carnage

I read that and chuckled at the horrible and (hopefully) completely unintended pun.

I am going to hell.