Raisin racing to recover

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Proving that his balance is back.(Image credit: Saul Raisin)

Saul Raisin interview, August 10, 2006, part 1

2006 started off in a very encouraging manner for Saul Raisin, with the Tour de l'Avenir KOM champion taking the first mountain stage of the Tour de Langkawi in February. The result confirmed his promise as one of the US' strongest up-and-coming talents, and the plan this spring was to ride the Tour of Italy to build further strength and experience. However Raisin had an extremely serious fall in early April, winding up in a coma and coming perilously close to death.

Someday someone somewhere will do a very interesting thesis along the lines of: American Riders, Masochism and the Pursuit of Sporting Glory. (Alternative title: We want the Maillot Jaune, but we sure ain't yellow). US cycling certainly has its share of hard men. Greg LeMond was shot during a 1987 hunting accident but came back to win two more Tours. Not to be outdone, Lance Armstrong rebounded from advanced cancer to dominate the sport, while a teeth-grinding, eye squinting Tyler Hamilton suffered through the pain of a busted collarbone to take a stage and fourth overall in the 2003 Tour. And last month Floyd Landis won the 2006 race despite having a hip which would qualify him for slippers, early retirement and a disability pension. [The validity of his win will be determined by the outcome of his current case - ed.]

When young gun Saul Raisin was growing up, a large poster of Armstrong displayed in his room served to inspire the determined Georgia rider. Comeback tales like those of LeMond and Lance were likely to have been part of the mystique of the sport for him, but now they are serving as a more literal motivation. On April fourth of this year, he crashed close to the end of the first stage of the Circuit de la Sarthe, breaking his collarbone and suffering some injuries to his head and face. It was the beginning of a very, very tough time for him.

Raisin initially seemed to be in a stable state, talking to his Credit Agricole directeur sportif Roger Legeay in the hospital in Angers and appearing - cuts, bruises and a broken collarbone aside - to be largely okay. However, 30-odd hours after he was admitted, a clot caused a cerebral oedema; the brain haemorrhage he suffered meant that he hovered precariously between life and death before finally emerging from his coma after six days.

Scans showed that the trauma had caused some damage to his brain and the fear was that this would have a long-lasting effect. Raisin initially displayed weakness, memory loss and a significant lack of strength on his left side, much like a stroke patient. Three and a half weeks after the crash he was transferred to the Shepherd Centre in Atlanta, Georgia where he began the next stage of his recovery.

Raisin's attendance there was an important part of his recovery and he found the staff helpful, knowledgeable and determined. Speaking to Cyclingnews shortly after his admission, he described his symptoms and what the hospital was trying to do in order to limit them. "My whole left side is weaker now, it is like somebody who has had a stroke," he said back in May. "I have trouble lifting my left arm, my arm is weaker, my left leg is a little weaker.

Driven by the thoughts of returning to the European peloton, and encouraged by the considerable support of his parents, friends and neighbours plus a trans-Atlantic visit by Credit Agricole manager Roger Legeay, Raisin worked hard at his rehabilitation. He did long exercise sessions in the gym and the swimming pool, as well as some work on the indoor trainer. These sessions went well and once he started building up his strength, he was also able to gradually increase the time and intensity on the bike. No open roads just yet, but things were progressing well.

Ever since his accident, one of the things which has helped a lot was the deluge of encouragement and support he got from his family, friends, neighbours and colleagues. Some of this was documented on the internet by family friend Shane Adams, who provided regular updates in the days and weeks after Raisin's accident. His faith and encouragement was typical and showed the thrust of good will behind the rider.

In addition, while his parents were over in France with him in the initial stages of his recovery, neighbours and other friends came to the family home to tend to the garden and do whatever else they could help. This too made a big impression on Raisin. "The response we have gotten is incredible. It is a really good feeling to know that there are those kinds of people out in the world. All this good will gives me a lot of motivation to come back."

Looking back at Raisin's career thus far, there are several things that mark him out as a particularly tough and determined character. In 2003 he had a bad fall during the Trans Alsace race, being knocked out cold. The accident could have been even more serious as he was choking on his tongue, until rescued by Credit Agricole's DS Lionel Marie. He recovered and went on to secure a contract with the professional wing of the team.

In 2005, he was once again in the ambulance, having been hit by a motorbike during the Four Days of Dunkirk and breaking his collarbone, some ribs and his hip. Doctors expected him to be out of action for six weeks but he bounced back within that timeframe to not only return to training, but to actually compete in the Tour de Suisse. He finished a fine 37th there and then continued his recovery, going on to take ninth place overall in the Deutschland Tour and to scoop the King of the Mountains jersey in the Tour de l'Avenir.

Dr Jerry Bilsky of the Shepherd Centre in Atlanta is someone who has witnessed Raisin's determination and progress, and said earlier this summer that he was impressed by what he saw. "He has done remarkably well," he stated in June. "When he first got here he had barely enough strength to sit on the edge of the bed. His voice was a whisper, he was very weak on the left side. He has made great progress since then."