# Steve Tilford Dies in car crash



## love4himies (Jun 12, 2012)

Terrible news.

http://stevetilford.com/2017/04/05/bad-news/



> Its me again Vincent. Steve and I were in a bad car accident west of Grand Junction on I70 at about 12:15am. I am kinda ok in a hospital in Grand Junction. Steve is not good I do not wish to say more now. I will update when I have more specific facts. Please be patient
> I am posting from my phone.
> 
> 4:25am I (vincent) have a fractured sternum, that hurts, otherwise just sore.
> ...


RIP Steve.


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## claudio_vernight (Mar 3, 2010)

oh my god. Steve was one of my all-time favorite American racers. Pure class. This is heartbreaking. My most sincere condolences to his family and friends.


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## pmf (Feb 23, 2004)

Oh God ... that's terrible. I was looking for his blog this morning. I read it every day. We have some friends in common. My brother got clobbered racing mountain bikes against him years ago. The poor guy had some bad luck the last few years -- rotator cuff, broken hip, fractured skull ... This is a huge loss.


Topeka-native & cycling champion Steve Tilford killed in Colo. wreck


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## El Scorcho (Dec 14, 2005)

Sad news. This is the report from the local news source. 

2 killed after van, semitruck crash into overturned semitruck on I-70 | KSL.com


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## aclinjury (Sep 12, 2011)

He he and his family have the baddest of luck recently.


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## blackfrancois (Jul 6, 2016)

death could have been so easily avoided. you have to get out of the road after an accident.

i saw an insurance commerical recently​ on tv where a mother slams on the brakes to avoid a front-end collision and then just sits there, looking back to her kids in the seat behind her. **** that! you have to get the **** out of the road unless you want to get hit from behind.


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## Migen21 (Oct 28, 2014)

blackfrancois said:


> death could have been so easily avoided. you have to get out of the road after an accident.
> 
> i saw an insurance commerical recently​ on tv where a mother slams on the brakes to avoid a front-end collision and then just sits there, looking back to her kids in the seat behind her. **** that! you have to get the **** out of the road unless you want to get hit from behind.


He was trying to get his dog Tucker out of the Van.


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## blackfrancois (Jul 6, 2016)

Migen21 said:


> He was trying to get his dog Tucker out of the Van.


well, if you're going to throw the rest of your life away, that's as good of a reason as any.


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## Migen21 (Oct 28, 2014)

blackfrancois said:


> well, if you're going to throw the rest of your life away, that's as good of a reason as any.


Yup, I'm pretty sure that's exactly what he was thinking...


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## Bee-an-key (May 5, 2007)

Will miss his writing, his blog was the only one I followed religiously. We all hoped he would write a book, it would be as great as Joe Parkins for sure. For those who don't know he is one hell of a story. Rode the Coors for LaVieClaire, team USA all over the world, Kretchmer/SRiver/Raleigh/Levi, Schwinn all over the US, Milk Race, Worlds, Nat champ in 1983 in MTN, Cross champ from the 1970's to the 2010's, Masters Worlds, hour record in US. He did it all and rode with everyone. Great writer, great man, amazing rider. Still riding 300-400 miles a week and putting the hurt on people a third of his age. Countless acts of kindness for his friends and acquaintances.... Lucky to have ridden with him one time 30 years ago and still get chills. Not the house hold name as LeMond, Hampsten, Grewal, Phinney, Ned, etc, but believe me that they measured themselves against him, he was that great. RIP Tilly.


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## Migen21 (Oct 28, 2014)

Love this guy...


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## blackfrancois (Jul 6, 2016)

Migen21 said:


> Yup, I'm pretty sure that's exactly what he was thinking...


one of the problems after an accident is people don't think. they're often confused. you've got to pull yourself together and get to safety, especially at night and in heavy fog. if not, you become a sitting duck. 

maybe this post and your rolleyes will save one life. if so, thanks in advance.


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## love4himies (Jun 12, 2012)

blackfrancois said:


> one of the problems after an accident is people don't think. they're often confused. you've got to pull yourself together and get to safety, especially at night and in heavy fog. if not, you become a sitting duck.
> 
> maybe this post and your rolleyes will save one life. if so, thanks in advance.


You are correct. I was one of the first people who arrived upon a serious accident where 1 person will killed 2 were critical. One man who wasn't injured was in shock and couldn't even remember which vehicle he was in and just kept walking around in a daze. 

We all think we would know what we would do, but we don't until we are in that situation.

It's so very sad all the way around. The cycling world has lost a great person.


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## pmf (Feb 23, 2004)

blackfrancois said:


> well, if you're going to throw the rest of your life away, that's as good of a reason as any.


That's real nice of you. You don't know how quickly it all happened. How confused you'd be after driving a van through a semi trailer. How quickly the second truck came that ended his life. I hope that when you die, there isn't some jackass on the internet calling you an idiot. He was a way bigger person than you'll ever be.


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## asgelle (Apr 21, 2003)

blackfrancois said:


> death could have been so easily avoided. you have to get out of the road after an accident.


From a human being. https://pvcycling.wordpress.com
"Tilford-like, he’d gone down at 30 on a training ride, unhelmeted, taken out by a dog, such that his skull shattered. When the inevitable victim blaming sprang up, Tilford shrugged. 'I didn’t wear a helmet and it didn’t work out for me, but I don’t go around blaming riders with helmets who’ve been injured or killed.' "


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## love4himies (Jun 12, 2012)

Migen21 said:


> He was trying to get his dog Tucker out of the Van.


Oh my, that is so sad.


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## blackfrancois (Jul 6, 2016)

pmf said:


> I hope that when you die, there isn't some jackass on the internet calling you an idiot. He was a way bigger person than you'll ever be.


never called him an idiot, and never insulted another poster like you just did.

maybe my post will wake up someone that finds himself in this situation.

what will your post do?


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## velodog (Sep 26, 2007)

pmf said:


> That's real nice of you. You don't know how quickly it all happened. How confused you'd be after driving a van through a semi trailer. How quickly the second truck came that ended his life. I hope that when you die, there isn't some jackass on the internet calling you an idiot. He was a way bigger person than you'll ever be.


Shock is a funny thing, it relieves the pain that would otherwise be felt while disconnecting any cognitive function.


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## pmf (Feb 23, 2004)

blackfrancois said:


> what will your post do?


Give credit where its due.


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## atpjunkie (Mar 23, 2002)

it's a huge loss to our community


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## Stoneman (Mar 1, 2009)

I was sad to hear of his passing and I am really going to miss reading his blog. I can't say that I always agreed with him but he spoke the truth as he saw it. His ability to continue to race at a high level into his late 50's was an inspiration to me. We should all try to live life to the fullest, as I believe Steve did, because tomorrow is not promised to any of us.


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## Peter P. (Dec 30, 2006)

Migen21 said:


> He was trying to get his dog Tucker out of the Van.


His dog was already out of the van and had fled the accident scene. He returned to the van to get a leash, then go find his dog.


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## blackfrancois (Jul 6, 2016)

asgelle said:


> "I didn’t wear a helmet and it didn’t work out for me, but I don’t go around blaming riders with helmets who’ve been injured or killed."


good quote. and i'm not trying to blame him for anything.

i am trying to emphasize to anyone who will listen that you've got to get your **** together and clear the road as quickly as you can. as i stated before, even insurance companies don't ******* get it.

some will want to call me names and let me know how much smaller of a person i am for this.

a leash is not worth a life. a family dog, maybe. but not a leash.


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## blackfrancois (Jul 6, 2016)

Migen21 negative feedback comment said:


> you're quite the hero.


thanks for the negative feedback.

i hadn't ever received nor given negative feedback until now. felt i needed to repay you.


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## aclinjury (Sep 12, 2011)

blackfrancois said:


> thanks for the negative feedback.
> 
> i hadn't ever received nor given negative feedback until now. felt i needed to repay you.


ugh, I generally do not think one should air out the negative comments (or PM's for that matter) in a public place. They're private for a reason. Nonetheless, it's still interesting (but not unexpected) to see you'd get negatives. The issue is not the general content of your thought, but the delivery of your thought in light of the situation.

I do agree with you, when thhere's a multi-car accident involving semi's, one NEEDS to get the f* off the road if it is safe to do so (otherwise, sit in your car until it is safe to bail out of the road). To me, this is common sense. Getting rear ended when your vehicle is stopped dead on a highway is a real possibility.

Now I'm not a dog owner, so here I may sound insensitive, but no dog is worth a human's life. Not even a family dog. Furthermore, Tillford has a human family already to whom priority should be placed first.


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## ddave12000 (Aug 16, 2013)

I was in a traumatic car crash once. Fortunately I wasn't seriously injured and was able to get myself off the road and out of harms way. I kept dialing 911 over and over and couldn't get the call to go through. It took me a few minutes to figure out that I kept dialing "991". Shock from a traumatic event can definitely screw with the brain. 

Very sad news, RIP Steve Tilford.


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## darwinosx (Oct 12, 2010)

blackfrancois said:


> never called him an idiot, and never insulted another poster like you just did.
> maybe my post will wake up someone that finds himself in this situation.
> what will your post do?


You don't know enough about the situation to be judgmental about it.
You have done nothing for anyone except your own ego.


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## pmf (Feb 23, 2004)

I think you've beaten that horse to death. Please move on. Hopefully elsewhere.


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## blackfrancois (Jul 6, 2016)

darwinosx said:


> You have done nothing for anyone except your own ego.


sorry, that wasn't the goal. it was more outrage.

next time, i will try to add a few more personal attacks, so i can fit in with the crowd that truly loved him.


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## froze (Sep 15, 2002)

I left this forum but I still get mail from road bike review, and saw this post which I had to respond too, then I'll leave and rarely return.

But the reason I left this forum is due to the same bickering that is going on with this thread that went on no matter what the thread was about, and I got tired of it. This is insane, we're talking about a great rider who tragically died and all some of you can think about is to fight each other over it. How do you think a family member or members of Steve Tilford would feel if they read this? Really? You're too busy being egotistical to think about what someone else may feel. Try being more respectful and grow up. I'm out of here.


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## blackfrancois (Jul 6, 2016)

froze said:


> You're too busy being egotistical to think about what someone else may feel.


oh, the irony.


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## Migen21 (Oct 28, 2014)

USA Cycling establishes Steve Tilford Memorial Fund

If you are interested there is a link to donate to the fund at the bottom on the article on stevetilford.com.

USA Cycling Establishes Steve Tilford Memorial Fund | Steve Tilford

_



Steve loved the purity of life, the true honest beautiful moments. Cycling filled this passion. Steve knew he was blessed to have the opportunity to ride and race the roads of the world. With the Steve Tilford Memorial Fund, we will continue to support Steve’s passion with a dedicated campaign to help make cycling drug-free. – Trudi Rebsamen

Click to expand...

_




SteveTilford.com said:


> Steve Tilford was a legendary bike racer. He began racing at age 14 and quickly excelled in the junior ranks. He was invited by the U.S. National Team coaching staff to become a permanent resident at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, CO and went on to represent the United States on the National Road Team in top amateur races around the world. He turned professional in 1986, and continued racing with distinction for the next several decades across a range of disciplines and age categories.





SteveTilford.com said:


> Steve became well known for being able to race any bike and having remarkable longevity. His elite success may have begun in road racing, but he proved himself off-road as early as 1983 when he won the inaugural NORBA Mountain Bike National Championship. He would go on to win 5 U.S. National Championships and 7 Masters World Championships in mountain biking and cyclo-cross. Steve was still racing when he tragically lost his life in an auto accident returning from a training camp on April 5th, 2017.
> An outspoken advocate for clean and fair competition, Steve was never afraid to voice his fervent opposition to doping. He believed strongly that doping was wrong and eroded the integrity of the sport he loved so much. He was a voice for the dangers of doping and the benefits of competing with integrity throughout his illustrious career.
> At the request of Steve’s family, USA Cycling has created the Steve Tilford Memorial Fund to support USA Cycling’s anti-doping efforts. Programs which encourage juniors to appreciate and respect the benefits and ideals of fair competition, and fully understand the risks and downsides to doping, will be a key area of focus. This fund will honor Steve’s passion for clean sport and be part of his lasting legacy.


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## love4himies (Jun 12, 2012)

Thanks for posting that, Migen21


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## Migen21 (Oct 28, 2014)

Seth Davidson wrote Steve's eulogy. It's posted in it's entirety on the front page of Steve Tilford | Blog

It's long, but it's definitely a good read. It's more about who Steve was a person than who he was a cyclist. 

It's too long to quote here, but here are a couple of little snippets I thought were pretty good.




Seth Davidson in Steve Tilfords Eulogy said:


> What Steve left us is the world’s most complete bike racing and how-to-live manual ever written. I know because I’ve read a couple of hundred thousand words of it. There is no aspect of cycling he leaves unexamined, from the importance of small mistakes to brakes to tires to rain to cornering to dumb luck to strategy to course knowledge to health to tactics to teamwork to weather to hypochondria to travel to risk to chaos theory to recovery to injury … it is comprehensive such that there is only one word that could possibly sum it up: Genius.







Seth Davidson in Steve Tilfords Eulogy said:


> So this much I can assure you. If you read through the roughly 360,000 words he has penned you will have a masters degree in bike racing, but far more importantly, you’ll have a Ph.D. in life.


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