Craig Lewis: File Under Pain

Greetings From Hamburg

Craig Lewis — Tue, 31 May 2011 19:55:10 +0000

Greetings from Hamburg, Germany. It’s been a very long several days since my crash at Stage 19 of the Giro d’Italia on Friday. I was taken via ambulance to the hospital in Milan. For almost two days I didn’t know whether my treatment would be in Milan, or at the team’s home base in Hamburg. Thankfully, things worked out so I flew to Hamburg on Sunday.

I was in traction up until the surgery. The pain was terrible. Imagine someone sticking a pin through your tibia and attaching weights to it. I had the first surgery Monday. The doctors put a nail through the two fractures and it’s very straight and rotation is correct. There was significant bleeding in my leg, though, which resulted in a lot of post-op pain. Because of this, I had to have another surgery.

Sometime during all of this, Courtney made it here from Greenville. Between having her here and the fantastic attention paid to me by the doctors and nurses, it’s been the best of a bad situation. The care here has been pretty remarkable. The physical therapist has been training Courtney to help with the recovery once we get back to the US.

Once things get sorted out with my leg, they’ll begin taking a look at my shoulder, which apparently has some nerve damage that limits its movement. The doctors suspect it’s just a pinched nerve, which should be relatively easy to overcome.

The doctors are bringing me Chinese food tonight so I can get a break from the hospital food. Yes, I’m counting my blessings, wherever I can get them.

Thanks to everyone who’s sent the prayers and wishes to me. Courtney and I appreciate all of the good karma. And thanks to the team for being there for me right after the crash, and for being here for me in Hamburg. I’m familiar with the road to recovery and I know I will prevail again. The good news is that the doctors have already made it clear that I can expect a 100% recovery. Their confidence in that fact has kept my motivation pegged to make it through these first steps of healing up.

Giro Presentation

Craig Lewis — Mon, 09 May 2011 15:34:05 +0000

Our attempt to make it to the parking lot of of the Giro presentation.

Lots of spectators turned out, but were they for the cyclist? Nope, Alpina (a group that celebrates the military veterans) just happened to be in town on the same weekend. Coincidence, or a clever ploy by the race organizers to guarantee hundreds of thousands of spectators?

The crowds were thick and full of highly intoxicated Italians.

Our parade lead by the military.

The Frecce Tricolore painting the sky in Italy's colors.

Leige-Bastogne-Liege

Craig Lewis — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 20:26:53 +0000

Here’s a photo tour from today’s recon ride of Leige-Bastogne-Liege.

Amstel Gold Race And Training

Craig Lewis — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 15:30:00 +0000

On stage and surrounded by thousands of fans, not a bad feeling!

Trying to get to the team presentation of the Amstel Gold Race is not an easy task.

After the race is finished, the stress continues with the drive home.

Our director Valerio Piva planning the day's training route.

The Hove Malpertuus, owned by the family of Valerio's wife, is our hotel for the week.

Some of the best racing food of the year is to be had at the Malpertuus. This is just a sampling of the starters.

Girona And Its Farms

Craig Lewis — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 14:51:41 +0000

Courtney and I stopping for a photo below our apartment in Girona.

Casa Moner, our bakery in town.

Quite farm roads outside of Bordils.

A farmhouse sundial near Bordils.

The cobbles of Ruiras.

The Last Few Weeks

Craig Lewis — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 15:50:39 +0000

Overlooking the rooftop of the hotel Auberge Du Pécheur.

The Auberge Du Pécheur in the region of Flanders, Belgium. The team's residence during the spring classics.

The Valira del Nord river flowing through the center of Andorra la Vella.

Even though it's the end of March and we are heading out for a bike race, there is sill plenty of snow to be enjoyed in Andorra.

Le Seu d'Urgell, the starting village for the 4th stage of the Volta Catalunya.

A Few Photos From The Road

Craig Lewis — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 20:36:12 +0000

The GI-682, endless miles of coastline and mountains. Doesn't get much better than this.

The Catalans are proud people. Paint left over from the Tour de France back in 2009.

A typical group ride this past Thursday with some UHC boys, Dan Martin from Garmin and Pat McCarty from SpiderTech-C10.

Pat picking up some fuel at the pastry shop. I was actually trying to get a good shot of the guy's glasses in the background.

Toscana

Craig Lewis — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 19:30:07 +0000

The sun rising next to Monte Serra.

The road starts to rise towards San Gimignano.

My training partners for the day, Marco Pinotti and Peter Velits.

San Gimignano in the distance.

Colle di Val d'Elsa.

The Past Week

Craig Lewis — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 16:16:38 +0000

: Out riding the Sliverado Trail with my good friend Bill Marshall.

Lake Hennessey.

Checking out the sheep putting in some work on a hillside near Howell Mt. I heard the shepherds charge around $18 per sheep per day for clearing the ground.

Out riding Mt. Veeder and talking wine with Matt Cain.

The views of the Mediterranean Sea never get old.

Proper signage!

In And Around Palma

Craig Lewis — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 16:11:42 +0000

Can Miquel. I read about this bakery some time ago and I finally tracked it down in Palma. On my first attempt they were closed for siesta.

I had much better luck on the 2nd attempt the following day and I was even allowed access to the kitchen.

This oven has been cranking out fresh pastries since the year 1560!!

The chef recommend his spinach puff pastry, a healthier breakfast I guess, but it tasted better knowing it just came out of a 500 year old oven…

My training partners for the day, Danny Pate and Caleb Fairly. All ready for some racing in Mallorca!

Just a few kilometers from the Palma city limit and you are this road. It’s easy to see why so many cyclist flock to this island.