Careless Cameraman Takes Out Mountain Biker During 100-Mile Race
A mountain biker was taken out by a camera operator who stepped into his path as the rider was competing in a gruelling 100-mile race through the heart of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado this past weekend.
John Gaston was halfway through the Leadville Trail 100 when he was needlessly wiped out and crashed nastily on the rough terrain. But Gaston showed true grit to get back on the saddle and not only finish the race, but come in second place.
“All of a sudden, these two camera guys, they didn’t even look, I tried yelling, but there was no chance,” Gaston said in an interview as he recuperated from a series of gruesome injuries. “That sucked because I had such a clean run.”
Gaston said he was “Okay, but in some pain.” He seemed more annoyed that he finished just 50 seconds after the six-hour mark, which he said was his goal for the race. “The first minute [after the crash], I almost pulled the plug because I was really banged up.”
The incident happened as Gaston was coming through a “feed zone”, which is cycling terminology for an area where the athletes can hydrate and grab a few snacks. Many on Instagram called for greater control of these spaces.
“Aid stations need more control,” says Maude, a fellow mountain biker. “Bring in ropes and controlled pedestrian cross zones. Too many careers depend on these results. Kudos to John for carrying on and still nabbing 2nd. That’s insane. Talk about tough.”
The two media members came under criticism for not paying attention to their surroundings. However, the pair were there to provide coverage for the event, and many chose to blame the organizers for not controlling the feed zone better.
It is a worthy reminder for all photographers and videographers to take great care when covering live events. PetaPixel has covered a number of unfortunate incidents, including at the Olympics when a cameraman disturbed a 5,000-meter race, drawing criticism from the athletes.
It also happened at the World Championships when a cameraman wandered onto the athletic track, oblivious to the fact that a group of steeplechasers were bearing down on him.
