Keeping Pace With the Tour de France – Lens

Keeping Pace With the Tour de France

Spencer Platt had never covered the Tour de France before. But he brought plenty of experience to the assignment, Merrill D. Oliver reports.

via Lens Blog: http://lens.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/07/23/assignment-41/

Tyler Farrar, an American cyclist and a top-level sprinter, was screaming nonstop. He had just crashed badly in the second stage of the 21-stage Tour de France when Spencer Platt found him on the road, clutching his elbow, his uniform in tatters.

The scene reminded Mr. Platt of how he felt when he came across the wounded in Afghanistan. He wanted to help, but was unable to intervene medically. So he waited with Mr. Farrar until first aid arrived and did what he does best. He took pictures.