American Magnus Sheffield crashed just before Gino Mäder crashed at the 2023 Tour de Suisse and lost his life due to the injuries he sustained, and seven months later he broke his silence about the incident in a blog on the Ineos Grenadiers team website.
Sheffield, 21, spent three months out of competition last year because of the concussion he had from the crash and writes that he faced questions if he would continue racing after such a traumatic incident.
“Many people questioned if I would continue: how did the crash and what followed affect me? Would I still want to race or ride a bike? Would I still be the same rider?” he wrote.
“I took time with family and friends back home the weeks after I returned to the USA. I did not know exactly when I would return to Europe. The team was very supportive with giving me the time my body needed before beginning training again.”
Sheffield penned the blog before making his season debut at the Volta ao Algarve, where he finished 15th on the opening stage and took the lead of the young rider classification. He said he hadn’t spoken publicly about Mäder’s crash because he wanted time to process the events.
“I feel open to share a few things from it. I remember just about everything of the day. From waking up in my bed in the morning of the stage, up until I came around after being wheeled from the operating room in the hospital.
“As a result of the crash, I was heavily concussed and experienced a window of what felt like unconsciousness. At that moment when I sat on the mountain side there were helicopters flying above ringing in my ears while I looked out on one of the most beautiful landscapes, as I saw riders and the race convoy passing down the Albula pass.
“I was confused seeing medical staff around a rider that I could only recognize the team jersey of at the time because I knew that I had crashed alone. Later on, after being transported from the scene, I was told Gino had been taken to a nearby hospital.”
Mäder died shortly after due to a severe brain injury.
“Unfortunately, I had only raced with Gino a few times in our careers. I’ve been told he was an incredible person, and my thoughts remain with his family and friends,” Sheffield writes.
“The crash reminded me of how fragile life can be. I feel incredibly lucky to be alive, to be able to walk, and even more fortunate to continue racing professionally.”
While convalescing at home, Sheffield said he struggled when his father was watching the Tour de France…
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