Thursday, Oct. 16, 2003


By Paul Gains
Hamilton 2003 Press Chief
Less than a week after a horrific crash landed Kevin Lacombe in the intensive care unit of Hamilton General Hospital the 19 year old Canadian rider is contemplating a return to Major Junior A Hockey.

On the second descent of James Mountain Road during the junior men's road race Lacombe, was one of three riders to crash into barricades lining the course. An ambulance was on the scene immediately and he was transported to hospital nursing what doctors described as "a serious closed head injury."

While the stomach turning scene has been replayed over and over Lacombe doesn't remember much about what happened.

"I only remember that I was coming down and there were some leaves on the ground and it was also wet," he says, "and after I fell I don't remember. I know it was slippery with some leaves but I can't remember exactly what happened."

For ten hours he was placed on a mechanical ventilator and received the best in medical care from the ICU which is also the region's trauma centre. Doctors listed him as "critical but stable" during this time and said he had the kind of injury "some people don't wake up from". Today he visited his local doctor to have the sutures removed from his jaw. Other than that he says he has no lingering after effects no headaches and no dizziness.

The ordeal was particularly hard for his mother and sister. A year and a half ago Kevin's father was killed in an automobile accident and for a time it was not clear whether the rider, who won the junior men's time trial at the 2003 Canadian championship, would survive. To see him lying unconscious attached to a variety of tubes was heart wrenching. His personal coach, Eric van den Eynde found himself in a confused state too. Well wishers called him while Lacombe lay in a hospital bed with conflicting reports.

"The first caller said he was in critical condition and might die. The next caller said he was going to be fine. Then someone called to say he was paralysed," Van Den Eynde remembers. "After a while I didn't know what to think."

As for Lacombe himself he remains in the dark as to what happened. He has yet to see the film of the crash and nobody has described it to him either.

"There were two doctors, two pharmacists were there for me. My mother and my sister were also there. They haven't explained to me much of what happened other than what are the normal hospital procedures."

The experience might turn others off a return to road cycling but Lacombe is steadfast in his decision to continue competitive cycling next year.

"Oh yes. I am going to continue," he declares, "Now my season is over but I am starting my hockey season with my team in Drummondville (as a defenceman) - within a week and a half to two weeks depending on what the doctors say."