Originally Posted by MinnMan

It sux that the sport is so dangerous and that so many pros suffer career-altering crashes. Considering the risks they take, the incidence of these crashes isn't actually very high. But it's enough. Or too much.

As I write this I'm finishing a very nice vacation in Girona. The descents around here are nothing compared to those in the real mountains, but they are more than enough for me. Windy repeated hairpins, roads with sudden edges and steep drop offs, a little dampness here and there. Riding around these last few days, a few people passed me on the climbs, but EVERYBODY passed me on the descents. And most of them weren't pros. Admittedly, I lack skills, but I gain even greater awe at the combination of skill and daring that it takes to race in typical European terrain.