Ouch! That kid is lucky to be alive. Now one would think that bicycle time trials are very safe. Quite the contrary. On October 30th, 2005, I was competing in a time trial. Time trial bikes are made to go fast in a straight line, and are not very maneuverable with extra skinny tires, disk wheels, etc. I was approaching the finish line at a high rate of speed. I had passed everyone that started ahead of me with 30 second intervals, and I guess the official was not expecting anyone to arrive yet. He suddenly stepped in my path, and I tried to swerve my bike which was doing about 30 mph. I don't remember the rest, but according to witnesses, I flew over the handlebars, and speared the ground with my head. The result was a broken C1 cervical vertebrae, an injury that is immediately fatal in 50% of the cases with residual deaths in the days following the trauma. I spent 5 months in a stiff brace.
