Hi Jaco Yes, I was involved in that tandem crash but am very fortunate to just have a few scrapes! Andrew and Greg van den Barselaar, the two brothers that race in Club 100 kit, went down right in front of me. We were the two front tandems just a few seconds before that, riding at a steady pace. Then on that downhill, they eased up and so did we and the pack started to spread around us on the descent. We were still near the front of a bunch of around 80 bikes and one of the male tandems that eased past us on our right moved in towards the left in front of the Van den Barselaars, but it was quite a quick move and at that very moment, Greg vd B, the pilot had turned slightly to look left as tandems were starting to come past on that side too. He drifted slightly to the right (as you often do when you glance left) and touched the wheel of that other male tandem (wearing red, I think Bruce Reyneke kit, but could be mistaken). We were doing about 60kph at this point. Greg and Andrew fell fast and hard (as you do with a wheel touch) right in front of Jo McLeod and I. All I could think of was keeping my line because of all the other tandems behind that could go down if I swerved. I managed to hit brakes and thought I might actually miss them, but then their bike turned horizontally in front of us and I hit their chainring (I think). My front tyre popped as we rode over their bike, but I was still determined to hold my line because of the chaos that it would cause if I didn't. Trying to hold the bike steady at about 50-odd kph with a shredded front tyre was tricky but somehow I managed. But the bike drifted slightly to the left and as it did so we got hit by a mixed tandem (Enervit pair of Rodeny McLoughlin and his partner). They missed Jo, but I think their handlebars hit my lower back (which has some scrapes and bruising) and they tumbled over the bars! She was flung high up and sort of somersaulted landing very hard on her head next to me. I think their bike brushed my elbow because is it quite sore. Her helmet shattered (as it is meant to) and bits of it were all over the road. She got up and walked around but was clearly in shock. Once I finally stopped (about 30 metres from where the brothers were), I turned around to see Andrew (stoker) holding Greg's head in his lap and shouting for someone to get help. Greg was lying unconscious in the middle of the road with a lot of blood coming from his head injuries. I called ER24 (084 124) on my phone but fortunately behind the Elite men's bunch a few minutes later was an ER24 paramedic vehicle. In the meantime Jo McLeod (who has done some first aid courses) was trying to help stabilise Greg who had regained consciousness but was struggling to breathe - his breaths were shallow and very rasping. John Robertson (Team Konica Minolta boss) stopped to help too when the Elites reached the crash scene and stayed until the paramedics arrived. John also has first aid training. An ER24 ambulance arrived about 10 minutes later and they were great in, along with the paramedics, keeping Greg still, calm, getting him into a neck brace, onto a backboard, onto a stretcher and into the van. Andrew, who had some grazes, went with Greg in the ambulance. Erick and Elrine Prinsloo (Team Cycle Lab) were also affected by the crash, but they didn't go down, just went off the road an punctured. They were very kind and transported Jo and I, our bike and the VdB's bike back to the start using their bakkie being driven by Gavin (Cycle Lab Events). An elderly gent that was transporting ice for the water points took Rodney and his partner and their bike back to the start. According an SMS to me from Andrew vdB's wife, Theresa last night: "Greg has had 38 stitches to his face (broken cheekbone and badly cut nose). Both knees and one hand badly damaged, but extent still unknown. Don't know if bleeding on left side of brain has stopped. His right side of his body is unresponsive. He is speaking normally but passes out often." Apparently the female stoker from the Enervit tandem was also later admitted to ICU with suspected head injuries, but I have not had any further updates. I'm waiting for word from Rodney whom I e-mailed this morning. Sean Badenhorst
