Tour de France Champion joins distinguished group

WRITER’S NOTE:  Four years ago, I read a heartbreaking essay “To the Driver Who Hit Me and Ran”  by Boulder elite-level cyclist Andrew “Bernie” Bernstein.

Published by Outside Magazine, the former Bicycling Magazine editor recounted the struggle of recovery after he was left to die in a ditch after being struck by a van while riding on his way home from training at the Boulder Valley Velodrome in July 2019.

The crash left him permanently disabled.

His frank essay addressed not only the physical and emotional injuries that had been inflicted upon him, but informed readers in graphic detail the stark reality of surviving a crash: not only what he had gained, but all that he had lost.

It also mentioned the relatively light sentence the distracted driver received and underscored the need for harsher laws for distracted drivers who hit cyclists and other vulnerable road users (VRUs).

A departure from the “feel good” stories that have become commonplace, his brutally honest essay about the devastating lifelong consequences of the crash aftermath and his suffering deeply impacted me.

I was left pondering how the eyes of the law determined the worth of a VRU life taken, or (in Berstein’s case) irrevocably damaged by distracted drivers.

According to recent statistics released both by the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) and the Colorado State Patrol (CSP), VRU deaths in our state are increasing at an alarming rate.

This week’s newsletter focuses on local cycling icon Bob Shaver and his upcoming Ride of Awareness to address this issue and meet with local officials along the way.

Shaver will be embarking on the ride with three other riders-  including 1984 Tour de France Féminin Champion Marianne Martin. Readers will learn why the ride has personal significance for Martin, as she shares her own recovery journey.

Greg Johnson (left) and Bob Shaver

Bob Shaver has an urgent message to deliver on behalf of cyclists and other VRUs: stop killing us; stop injuring us.

When Shaver clips in for the nearly 300-mile Ride of Awareness on September 8, he’ll be thinking of his friend Greg Johnson and dozens of other VRUs who have been hit by distracted drivers.

The circumstances in which the duo met were far from ideal.

Three years ago, Johnson was en route to Golden Gate Canyon when he was the victim of a hit and run by an impaired driver at West 32nd in Applewood.

Also riding in the area that day was Shaver. 

Shaver had stopped to take a photo of bees when he heard a loud BOOM! 

He looked east to see a cloud of dust and a silver Hyundai sedan with a dented front, dangling mirror, and no license plate emerging slowly and then suddenly speeding off.

As the dust settled, to his horror, Shaver saw a cyclist lying 30 meters away in the middle of the road, immobile.

Just moments before, Johnson had been struck from behind and had bounced off the hood of the car as he tumbled unconscious to the ground.

The impact of the crash was so great, that his water bottle lying nearby on the road had been blown out of its cage.

As other cyclists came upon the scene to help, Shaver called 911, made sure Johnson was not moved, and took evidentiary photos.

While Johnson was not killed, the experience left him with a broken pelvis, crushed right hip, three broken vertebrae, and 21 broken bones.

His right femur alone was shattered into 40 pieces. He spent several months wheelchair bound and was unsure if he would ever be able to walk again, let alone ride.

Two Years Later
After nearly two years, Johnson was finally given the green light to ride his bike once more. His new friend Shaver was on hand to help celebrate this remarkable milestone.

Although the ride was a cause for celebration, it was also a sobering reminder of the physical damage inflicted upon Johnson- now no longer capable of riding the way he used to in terms of endurance or strength.

It is an especially terrible blow when you consider the avid cyclist once rode the Bob Cook Memorial Hill Climb in 2:30-2:45 and whose near daily commute to DIA (where he worked for the FAA) was thirty miles each way.

Even worse, nearly 3 years to the date of the crash, all charges were dropped, even though the driver and the occupants of the Hyundai admitted they were so stoned and drunk they couldn’t remember who was driving.

Shaver was astounded that the impaired driver and his occupants were not held more accountable for their actions. Johnson was alive, but he would never be the same.

“Greg will really never recover.  Last winter one of the rods in his back broke so he had to have another surgery,” Shaver said somberly.

“Greg is a master woodworker, fly fisherman and of course, a serious cyclist.  The things he loves to do, he will no longer be able to do at the level he once could. He has fought back, but it hasn’t been easy.  He is an inspiration.  He is the main reason I wanted to do this ride,” he continued.

According to the Colorado State Patrol, fatalities involving vulnerable road users have risen by a staggering 78% since 2015

Johnson’s crash exemplified the need for stronger laws for those who do bodily harm or death to VRUs.

According to the Colorado State Patrol, pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities in Colorado have increased 78 percent since 2015. In fact, 2024 was the second-deadliest year on record for VRUs, with 134 fatalities.

Shaver implores officials to do better.

Compelled to raise awareness of these alarming statistics and to honor his friend and other VRU victims, Shaver organized a Ride of Silence as part of Park Hill’s July 4 parade.

He is planning to continue those efforts and deliver his urgent message with next month’s Ride of Awareness from Denver to Grand Junction

Hell of the West
Joining the former racing cyclist on his self-described “Hell of the West” (a nod to American Flyers) will be his friend, Greg Holm, Marianne Martin (the first American to win a Tour de France), and The-Cyclist-Lawyer Andrew Phillips.

“Bob is such an inspiration for the greater good of cycling. His enthusiasm makes me want to do all I can to help the sport!” exclaimed Martin.

“Not that I don’t always want to… but life sometimes gets in the way. Bob always maintains an admirable balance to prioritize and support cyclists,” she praised.

Together, the foursome aspire to raise awareness of the

recent increase of injuries and the appalling number of VRU deaths.

They also hope to raise funds for the Forever Cyclists Fund; a fund created through Bicycle Colorado to honor Colorado bicyclists who have had their lives cut short while riding by either DUI or distracted drivers.

“I believe we can reverse this trend – but it’s going to take communities prioritizing proper infrastructure and accountability,” remarked Andrew Phillips.

“Think about the best cities you like to spend time in.  More often than not, that city has made cyclist and pedestrian safety a priority,” he continued

The four-day journey on two wheels will be a whistle stop tour of sorts, with the group hoping to meet with law enforcement, concerned citizens, elected officials, and advocacy groups along the way. Throughout the journey, they expect to be joined by other cyclists as a demonstration of solidarity.

“I am always game for a grand adventure!  While I have never been particularly fast on a bike, I really enjoy an adventure, and one that will help bring awareness to some really great causes is right up my alley,” Phillips stated.

In addition to looking forward to “…spending quality time with legends,” Phillips is excited to speak with community leaders along the way about the need for safe, cyclist-friendly infrastructure.

Ride of Awareness Schedule

Day One: Denver to Georgetown.

Day Two: Georgetown to Copper Mountain via Loveland Pass.

Day Three: Copper Mountain to Glenwood Springs via Vail Pass.

Day Four: Glenwood Springs to Grand Junction with stops in Rifle and Debeque.

Day Five: Meet with Grand Junction city officials and local bike groups, followed by American Flyers 40th anniversary screening at 6 PM.

Join Shaver and friends at the Wash Park tennis courts in Denver for the Ride of Awareness Grand Depart on September 8.

A press conference is scheduled for 7:30 AM. Some light refreshment will be provided. Wheels down at 8 AM.

American Flyers Connections
Shaver intentionally planned to have the group arrive in Grand Junction on September 11- one day before the 40th anniversary screening of American Flyers (1985).

The following day they will join Davis Phinney, Connie Carpenter-Phinney, and 2,000 other cyclists in the Tour of the Moon ride through the Colorado National Monument, a course made famous in American Flyers.

“From the very beginning of the 40th Anniversary of American Flyers, I wanted to build as much/many peripheral cycling events as possible,” Shaver explained.

Learn more about the anniversary showings and the cultural impact of American Flyers here.

Marianne Martin’s Road to Recovery

For Marianne Martin, the Ride of Awareness is about hope: hope that cyclists can recover from injury; hope that injury and death to VRUs by distracted drivers declines.

It also offers an opportunity to celebrate a personal milestone: her first big ride since a horrific cycling accident that took place nearly one year ago.

“To put it mildly, this ride will be a stretch for me, but the benefits of pushing myself are so huge that I’m excited for it!” exclaimed Martin.

Last October, the 1984 Tour de France Féminin champion and Boulder resident was descending Sunshine Canyon at a rapid speed and overcorrected on a turn.

The crash was brutal.

She spent several days in ICU recovering from a collapsed lung, fractured clavicle, 12 broken ribs, a concussion, and road rash.

Marianne Martin wearing the Yellow Jersey at the 1984 Tour de France Feminin

First Steps
“As I am struggling with getting back in shape, I have much more appreciation for the challenges of reintroducing fitness into my life. The first step was extremely difficult!” she admitted.

The Ride of Awareness brings hope to her and other cyclists who have overcome terrible physical and psychological obstacles in the hopes of eventually getting back in the saddle again.

“I’m excited to hurt I suppose, but I know how MUCH it will help me and keep my body alive,” Martin maintained.

“The benefits of movement to our mind, spirit, joy, and life

are so HUGE, it makes me want to hold the hand of anyone who is struggling to take that first step and get out the door!” she enthused.

During her recovery when she wasn’t yet able to exercise, Martin found herself enjoying what she describes as “…basically a leisurely lifestyle”  that included unhurried morning coffee, a stroll with Maisy her bull terrier, reading the news, etc.

Bringing physical fitness activities back into her life has been a challenge, she admitted. Not just working out, but finding the motivation to cross the threshold.  An Emotional Experience
Martin credits human kindness and overwhelming encouragement in helping her to navigate that awful time. Sometimes, the outpouring of support brought her to tears.

“My friends and even people I didn’t know well wrote to me with words of support. I cannot find words to say how much this meant to me,” she maintained.

Now that Martin is back in the saddle, she values rides with friends (some dating back to before her historic TDF win) and other people in her cycling family that “…feed her soul.”

“I don’t care as much where I go, but who I go with. Cycling with good people feels like family and that is both a comfort and a reason to keep it up,” she finished.

by Kate Agathon. Contributor, and Marketing Director/Writer for Campus Cycles