A sad day for cycling

Paul Crake is one of the unsung heroes of Australian cycling. After conquering every peak in stair-running, including winning the empire state building run three times in a row, Crake made the switch to the bike. His career has included representing Australia at the world championships, 3rd and 5th at open nationals and contracts with Corratec and Naturino di Sapone pro teams. A gifted climber and a definite toughman, Crake would surely have cracked the protour ride he richly deserves very soon...

Crake crashed out last week in the Tour of Southland, suffering severe spinal damage. He may not walk. Here's hoping he can receive some of the luck that graced Saul Raisin, Lance Armstrong, Henk Vogels and many of the other cyclists who have been told they will never walk or ride again. Whatever the future holds, Crake is a hero and will remain just that as he deals with this new challenge.