"Robert Chung" <
[email protected]> wrote
>
> "Robert Chung" <
[email protected]> wrote
> > French Eurosport is reporting that Kivilev died in hospital from the injuries he received in
> > yesterday's stage 2 of the Paris-Nice race.
>
> Cyclingnews also has the story:
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/?id=2003/mar03/mar12news2
From French Eurosport:
http://www.eurosport.fr/home/pages/V3/L3/S18/sport_Lng3_Spo18_Sto405994.shtm l
My rough translation: A terrible leaden mantle has come over Paris-Nice. Andrei Kivilev, victim of a
fall during the 2nd stage, died Wednesday morning in the hospital in St. Etienne. Fourth in the Tour
de France in 2001, Cofidis' Kazakh climber was 29 years old.
In St. Chamond, 40 km from the end of the stage in St. Etienne, he fell along with two other riders,
his teammate Marek Rutkiewicz and Volker Ordowshi, who were not seriously injured. Kivilev fell face
down and fell immediately into a coma.
Hospitalized at first in St. Chamond, Kivilev was transferred to St. Etienne where there is a
neurosurgery service. Tuesday night the chief medical officer of the Paris-Nice race had, however,
initially released a slightly optimistic communique. Unfortunately, Wednesday morning pessimism
returned. "His state worsened during the night," said the doctor for the Cofidis team. Then, a
little after 10am, Kivilev died.
After arriving in France, he took up residence in St. Etienne like his countryman Alexander
Vinokourov. He spent his professional career in French teams (Festina, Casino, and Cofidis). A pure
climber, he had achieved his greatest feat with a 4th place in the 2001 Tour de France. He had only
two victories in his palmares, but he regularly finished within the top 5 during stage races.
Kivilev's fatal accident is the first among professional riders in 4 years. In 1999, the Spaniard
Manuel Sanroma died from a fall during the Tour of Catalonia. Four years earlier, the Italian Fabio
Casartelli died during the Tour de France on the terrible descent of the Portet d'Aspet.
In consultation with the riders and other members of the team, Cofidis has decided to continue the
race. "It's better to stay together after this terrible event," declared one of the team officials.