Rider Down: Luis Carreira

It is with great sadness that The Thruxtonian has learned of the death of Luis Carreira during today’s qualifying session at the Macau Grand Prix.

Portuguese rider Luis Carreira

The Portuguese rider came off at Fisherman’s Bend, the right-hander that connects the fast blast down to the Reservoir from the Melco Hairpin with the straight that runs along the Reservoir’s seaboard side. Although emergency medical crews were quick to attend the fallen rider, Carreira was pronounced dead at the scene. He was 36 years of age.

The plucky, smiling racer had become a well-known figure in road racing, participating regularly in the Macau Grand Prix, the Isle of Man TT and the North West 200. He had also had wild card races in the World Superbike Championship as well as having competed in several endurance races. He will be sorely missed by road racing fans and fellow competitors alike.

Although, as road racing fans, we are aware that death is one of the risks of the sport that we love so much, it is always heart-wrenching to hear that another racer has paid the ultimate price to this cruel mistress... Sleep well, Luis.

Onwards and Upwards

After a rather prolonged period of inaction - much to our regret here at The Thruxtonian - I am happy to announce that business will soon be resumed and that the blog will be progressing onwards and upwards.

Amongst the changes that are in the offing are a dedicated Twitter account and Facebook page, to give The Thruxtonian greater visibility and to make it easier for you, the reader to access and read the articles. This will also enable you to contact the blog and leave comments, observations, as well as photos and videos that you believe might be of interest to The Thruxtonian. In fact, in the short term we will be further developing reader input to the blog - who knows, your input might even end up published right here! But we'll jump off that bridge when we reach it, as the saying goes.

The aim is to gradually turn The Thruxtonian into a key blog in the world of motorcycling and motorcyclists, albeit with a marked slant towards classic and vintage bikes, café racers and custom motorcycles, along with the fashion and lifestyle aspects that go with them. I'm looking forwards to your company in this new chapter in The Thruxtonian's adventure.

Enjoy the ride!

Marc

O how the Mighty are fallen!

I would like to begin this article with an apology: please excuse me for publishing an article that has nothing to do with the subject matter of this blog, but this is an issue that I could not let pass. Also, I would like to make it quite clear that the following words constitute my own personal opinion and engage no other responsibility than my own. If they lead me into trouble then so be it: I shall stand by them and accept whatever effects – negative or otherwise – that saying them publicly might bring upon me.

I have long been a fan of competitive cycling. On a human level it is a tough sport, perhaps the toughest sport of all, particularly in its ultimate expression, the stage road race: for the best part of a month, pushing those pedals over vast distances, day in and day out, in all kinds of climate conditions, falling off and getting back on again…

Undoubtedly the most renowned of these multi-stage road races is the Tour de France, with its “Maillot Jaune” that echoes Jason’s Golden Fleece. And this morning, whilst sipping my coffee, I have learned that its aura and reputation have once more been sullied and dragged in the mud. To add insult to injury, it has been besmirched by a man who has achieved mythical and almost demi-godlike status, Lance Armstrong. Seven times he went out to conquer cycling’s Golden Fleece, and seven times he prevailed. Seven victories that were deemed even more laudable because the victor had successfully overcome cancer after a particularly tough medical therapy. [...]