Alex Zanardi: From pedal to medal
September 5, 2012 7:06PM
OLY-2012-PARALYMPICS-CYCLING
Updated: October 7, 2012 8:05AM
A lex Zanardi just loves to race. But what he really likes to do is win.
The two-time CART champion and ex-Formula One driver took the Paralympic gold medal Wednesday in paracycling — a hand cycle powered by the arms. The win capped an incredible journey for the 45-year-old who almost died in an accident at a CART race in Germany.On Sept. 15, 2001, Zanardi was leading the American Memorial 500 when he came in for his final pit stop. As he left pit road, Zanardi’s car spun and slid onto the track into the path of driver
Alex Tagliani . Traveling at close to 200 mph, Tagliani’s car struck the nose cone of Zanardi’s machine. The crash severed Zanardi’s right leg at the knee and his left leg five inches above the knee. He lost 70 percent of his blood, his pelvis was fractured in five places and he had a lacerated liver. Zanardi lapsed into a coma for three days, and his heart stopped at least once. Zanardi took up paracycling to stay in shape. By 2011, he won the New York City Marathon in the paracycling division.
AP
