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STEFAN SCHLEIGEL: “That is cycling. You crash; you get back up and go on.”
By Vic Armijo
This afternoon RAAM Media One was in prime position to produce some stunning video and photos. We were fortunate enough to drop in behind Austrian Christoph Strasser as he descended the “Glass Elevator,” the 3,000’+ drop to the desert town of Borrego Springs. A few miles earlier Strasser had told us that Stefan Schlegal was up ahead. Schlegal is a fun, easy going German who had a respectable rookie RAAM in 2012 when he finished 10th in 11 days, 5 hours and 1 minute. After a few miles of following Strasser at speeds of well over 55mph, Schlegal appeared up ahead. The difference in Strasser’s speed over Schlegel’s was very apparent and within a few corners Strasser was on Schlegel’s tail. At a turnout the German rider pulled in to allow the Austrian to pass. Schlegel immediately dropped in behind Strasser, apparently wanting to pace off him, but two corners later Schlegal unclipped his left foot going into a left hand turn, drifted wide and went down hard, his helmet flying off in the impact as his bike skidded on without him to the other side of the road.
Media One’s driver Brian Jahn immediately pulled in and we all piled out to help. Strasser’s Media crew had been following behind us and were first to aid Schlegal while we got his bike out of the traffic lane. Amazingly, though bleeding from a cut in his eyebrow and from a nasty abrasion on his right buttock, Schlegal was up in about a minute. Jahn back-tracked the course to find Schlegal’s crew who hurriedly came to help their downed rider. Within minutes of their arrival they were loading up his damaged bike and pulling down a fresh mount—yes Schelgal was getting back on to continue racing. Schlegal explained that the crash was caused by a puncture in his front tire. “That is cycling,” he said with a shrug, “You crash, you get back up and go on.”
Schlegal’s words and amazing fortitude in continuing on after such a horrifying crash epitomize the spirit of RAAM. So too did the first words spoken by Strasser when we pulled alongside him miles later in the Anza Borrego desert, “Stefan is okay?” he asked with obvious concern. When informed that Schlegal was basically alright Strasser reacted with a smile and a nod, “He can continue? Good!” he said.
