Blue Cycles’ Ryan Barnett is recovering from a serious accident in Atlanta.
- By Steve Frothingham
- Published May. 11, 2008
- Updated May. 12, 2008 at 9:48 AM UTC
Category 1 racer Ryan Barnett is recovering in an Atlanta hospital from a collision with a car on May 3.
Barnett, who is the marketing manager for Blue Competition Cycles, was out for a quick spin prior to Sunday’s Sandy Springs Classic criterium when the accident occurred, said Blue’s Brady Rogers.
Barnett fractured his skull, broke ribs and his pelvis and fractured his back in the T3 and T4 vertebrae area, Rogers said. He said Barnett has some paralysis from the waist down.
Barnett is at Atlanta’s Shepherd Center, where cyclist Saul Raisin was treated after his 2006 accident. Rogers said doctors will operate on Barnett this week to try to relieve pressure on the spine and possibly reduce the paralysis.
A Web site has been published to keep supporters up to date on Barnett’s condition. It is at www.realitybikes.com/ryanbarnett
FILED UNDER: Road
Steve Frothingham
VeloNews.com editor Steve Frothingham joined the gang in bike-crazy Boulder in early 2008. He is the former executive editor of the trade magazine Bicycle Retailer & Industry News. He also was a reporter and editor for The Associated Press, where he covered three presidential primaries in politics-crazy New Hampshire. His racing career began on a BMX track in 1980 and reached its zenith with several miserable road races as a category 2 in the early 90s. He subsequently retreated to cat. 3, where he has had a consistently mediocre (at best) record ever since, in road, mountain bike and cyclocross events. Follow him on Twitter at @steve_froth