DeeKnow’s Grotto

The big news in New Zealand today of course is the freekish weather battering the country and resulting flooding in the central North Island. There've only been a couple of fatalities fortunately and it could have been a lot worse.

However the big news for me today involved the death of someone half-way round the world, in Italy. Marco Pantani to be precise.

CyclingNews.com reported: "Thirty four year old Marco Pantani was found dead in a room in Le Rose di Rimini apartments in the Italian Adriatic coastal city of Rimini Saturday afternoon, February 14"

The last few years have seen Pantani yo-yo in and out of periods of depression so it probably doesn't come as much of a suprise to cycling fans that his life might have ended as tragically as it appears to have. There's no official cause-of-death just yet, but seems like its probably suicide.

Of all the cycling heros that a part-timer like myself could have, Marco has always been my favorite. His character, courage and flamboyance on the bike as he danced his way effortlessly up and over the mountains of Europe was an amazing spectacle. For these reasons the only picture of a cyclist on the walls of my office at work is one of Pantani. Resplendent in trademark bandana, goatee beard and cheeky grin (obviously on a good day)

Always the under-dog, he enjoyed plenty of fantastic victories in the various cycling tours of Europe. In the prominent tours (like the ones in France in Italy, both of which he had won) it was often Marco that everyone secretly rooted for to be the one to take the race to whomever was the dominating rider of the times (most recently Lance Armstrong).

Cyclists are literally treated like heros in Europe where the sport is MUCH MORE POPULAR than here in New Zealand, so no doubt Italy will be in a somber mood at the moment. Letters of tribute have been pouring in to the english speaking CyclingNews site as they are no doubt in other European ones.

Rest in Peace Il Pirata !!!

8:30:17 PM