"Our eyes cry, our thoughts are devastated" - Romain Bardet's emotional tribute to Gino Mäder
Cycling
Many were the voices that came out yesterday in support and tribute of Gino Mäder, Romain Bardet was one of them and simultaneously one of the most emotional. The Team DSM rode down the Albulapass and past the location of the crash, and later on had many words to let out regarding the incident.
"How. Why. What's left now? Our eyes cry, our thoughts are devastated. We are all Gino. We always go faster and faster and push the limit. We flirt bend after bend with our limits. After all, we've done it a thousand times," the Frenchman said in an Instagram post. "The day, however, is pitch black when fate decides to take one of us with it, a fellow human being, an acrobat in a Lycra suit, with an injustice that knows how to tear us apart and cannot be repaired.”
Bardet is well placed in the overall classification of the Tour de Suisse, and because of that, he has flown down the Albulapass taking risks so as to remain in contention as best as possible. This was the case with a few riders close to the front, but all had the luck that the Swiss rider did not. Yesterday's stage was cut and ridden in tribute, with emotional scenes at the finish line, and many abandoning the race this morning.
“We are only aware of the subconscious when we are overtaken by brutal reality and we are thus forever affected. If only the sincerity of our thoughts could comfort those left behind. We practice this sport to experience certain emotions, but never – really never – to see our (cycling) family mourn. Gino, a star that will shine forever.”
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A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
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