Credit Agricole's Saul Raisin crashed in April 2006 at the French stage race Circuit de la Sarthe and
was in a life threadning condition. Raisin was in a coma for more than a week and was paralyzed on one side of his body
after his crash. He fought his way back after having brain surgery but it seems it won't be enough to return to the peloton.
His team, Credit Agricole, announced yesterday that the 24 year old rider would not return to racing in
the immediate future. Credit Agricole conducted tests with Raisin in October and after they received the results from the
docotors the French ProTour team decided the risk was too big. Team manager Roger Legeay told Australian website cyclingnews.com:
"In July he indicated he wanted to return to racing, and in September he had good results at the US [national] time trial
championships. It was good; I did not want him to ride in the bunch because it was too early."
Legeay continued by saying: "We made the decision two days ago because we just got the results from the
doctors from Bordeaux. We informed him [Saul Raisin], and his mother and father. What he will do, I don't know. He said, 'yes,
I understand.'
Legeay explained why he took the decisio: "We are in a very dangerous sport, not like tennis. You have issues
of concentration, it is hard to explain all the issues, it is a very demanding sport. My first priority as a manager is the
life; it is not results or the money. For me it is a big risk for him to ride in the bunch. It was my decision."
Legeay added: "I explained my decision to Saul and his parents. I said 'I want to be sure
there is no risk of his safety,' and his parents agreed with me. After looking at the results with the doctors - neurologists
and psychologists - from Bordeaux, we made a strong decision and take the responsibility."
Raisin still has a contract with Credit Agricole, Legeay said: "He has a contract without any problem;
he is paid like a normal rider, even though he is not racing. The problem is not the money, but the risk."
Saul Raisin reacted on his personal website saulraisin.com, saying: "My dreams to be a professional cyclist
are dead. I do not know where to begin. This is the hardest blog I have ever had to write. Yesterday, I
was greeted by my Mom and Dad early in the morning in Salt Lake City. I was so surprised to see them but the fake smile on
my Mom’s face revealed something was wrong. Roger Legeay had called them the day before to tell them
that the French doctors would not release me to race. His voice cracked as he later told me the news and I tried hard to fight
back the tears."
Raisin continued by saying: "I did very well on my neuro-psych tests but the doctors said it would be too
dangerous if I were to crash and hit my head again. It is hard to take in the fact that all the last 13
years of hard training are now over."
Raisin said he is happy that he will marrie Aleeza Zbriskie (sister of David Zbriskie) and that he will
continue his work for the Raisin Hope fund, which he founded after his crash. Saul Raisin also wrote a book with co-author
Dave Shields about his injury and the road to recovery. The book, Tour de Life, can be ordered at www.tourdelife.us
