Majorca 2016 - Official Press Release
I can now state "My season is in ruins"...
...and it was all going so well.
I'm sorry to report I've had a major "off" descending the Coll de Femenia last Monday (13th June).
I had just picked up a hire bike in Puerto de Pollensa for few hours of pedalling in the sun and mountains of Majorca this week in-between lying in the sun with a few beers and lazing in the pool.
Unfortunately all those plans have been ended by over cooking a corner a few turns down from the top of the Femenia. I had just spent, what felt like forever dragging myself up the 7.7km climb in 29 degrees heat. It had occurred to me more than once on the way up, "what the hell am I doing? I could be lying by the pool". Still, I pressed on and eventually reached the summit. Obviously I stopped to take the obligatory selfie.
A happy Scott only a few minutes before the crash
I then set off back down towards Pollensa and the sanctuary of the hotels pool/bar.
A car went passed me near the start of the descent and I think part of me was distracted watching him take the corners in front of me. Before I knew it a was into a steep bend and was going too fast. I instinctively slammed on but my braking emphasis was on the back brake rather than the front as the continental hire bike (hired on le continent) was set up for "English riders" i.e. front brake on the right. Which is great unless you are an old skool rider like yours truly who has always ridden with the front brake on the left. The result was my back wheel locking up and passing me by just before dropping into a 3 foot deep drainage ditch full of gnarly looking boulders. As I inevitably hit a large boulder (and I remember clearly seeing this happen) I was thrown over the handle bars and into a dry stone wall, which I bounced off and landed on another boulder on my back.
The resulting pain was excruciating. Up until this moment I had never broken a single bone in my body. Now, (unknown to me at this stage) I had broken six at once.
The motorists ahead (a German couple) stopped and reversed up to help me. Then 3 other cars stopped to help, an English couple, a Spanish couple and another German couple with the lady being a doctor. She was massive help. An ambulance was called for and Dr Steph got me into the recovery position on the road. I had to lay for 1 and 1/2 hours waiting for the ambulance. But all those people stayed with me offering shade, water and comfort for my head off the road. I will always be grateful for their kindness at the most painful time I have experienced. Dr Steph insisted on administering pain killers to me before she would let the ambulance leave.
Because I have travel insurance I was taken to a private hospital near where we were staying. It is most excellent. The speed and efficiency are incredible. I'd have a CT scan and several X-rays within 20 minutes of arriving.
Injuries sustained are 2 broken ribs, a punctured lung and 4 cracked vertebra. Plus a large amount of skin left on the mountainside. Of course, the MOST painful part was when the doctor CUT off by brand new @castellicafe shorts I had only received 2 days before the trip!
As I write this from my hospital bed I am feeling not too bad, but I do have lots of drugs in me. I also have a chest drain to help reinflate the 30% of my lung which collapsed. The cuts on my head are from my helmet. I didn't even feel a bump on my head but I was sure glad to be wearing a helmet.
All in all, when I replay the final moments in my head, I think it could have been a lot worse and I thank my lucky stars some of my fellow Europeans stopped to help!
I can now only apologise to my lovely wife and daughter who have now had their holiday ruined by my moment of carelessness. Thank you for being here for me xxx
...and it was all going so well.
I'm sorry to report I've had a major "off" descending the Coll de Femenia last Monday (13th June).
I had just picked up a hire bike in Puerto de Pollensa for few hours of pedalling in the sun and mountains of Majorca this week in-between lying in the sun with a few beers and lazing in the pool.
Unfortunately all those plans have been ended by over cooking a corner a few turns down from the top of the Femenia. I had just spent, what felt like forever dragging myself up the 7.7km climb in 29 degrees heat. It had occurred to me more than once on the way up, "what the hell am I doing? I could be lying by the pool". Still, I pressed on and eventually reached the summit. Obviously I stopped to take the obligatory selfie.
A happy Scott only a few minutes before the crash
I then set off back down towards Pollensa and the sanctuary of the hotels pool/bar.
A car went passed me near the start of the descent and I think part of me was distracted watching him take the corners in front of me. Before I knew it a was into a steep bend and was going too fast. I instinctively slammed on but my braking emphasis was on the back brake rather than the front as the continental hire bike (hired on le continent) was set up for "English riders" i.e. front brake on the right. Which is great unless you are an old skool rider like yours truly who has always ridden with the front brake on the left. The result was my back wheel locking up and passing me by just before dropping into a 3 foot deep drainage ditch full of gnarly looking boulders. As I inevitably hit a large boulder (and I remember clearly seeing this happen) I was thrown over the handle bars and into a dry stone wall, which I bounced off and landed on another boulder on my back.
The resulting pain was excruciating. Up until this moment I had never broken a single bone in my body. Now, (unknown to me at this stage) I had broken six at once.
The motorists ahead (a German couple) stopped and reversed up to help me. Then 3 other cars stopped to help, an English couple, a Spanish couple and another German couple with the lady being a doctor. She was massive help. An ambulance was called for and Dr Steph got me into the recovery position on the road. I had to lay for 1 and 1/2 hours waiting for the ambulance. But all those people stayed with me offering shade, water and comfort for my head off the road. I will always be grateful for their kindness at the most painful time I have experienced. Dr Steph insisted on administering pain killers to me before she would let the ambulance leave.
Because I have travel insurance I was taken to a private hospital near where we were staying. It is most excellent. The speed and efficiency are incredible. I'd have a CT scan and several X-rays within 20 minutes of arriving.
Injuries sustained are 2 broken ribs, a punctured lung and 4 cracked vertebra. Plus a large amount of skin left on the mountainside. Of course, the MOST painful part was when the doctor CUT off by brand new @castellicafe shorts I had only received 2 days before the trip!
As I write this from my hospital bed I am feeling not too bad, but I do have lots of drugs in me. I also have a chest drain to help reinflate the 30% of my lung which collapsed. The cuts on my head are from my helmet. I didn't even feel a bump on my head but I was sure glad to be wearing a helmet.
All in all, when I replay the final moments in my head, I think it could have been a lot worse and I thank my lucky stars some of my fellow Europeans stopped to help!
I can now only apologise to my lovely wife and daughter who have now had their holiday ruined by my moment of carelessness. Thank you for being here for me xxx
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