Simpson's Death
Denson rode for Britain in the 1967 Tour de France. During it, his friend Tom Simpson died almost at the top of Mont Ventoux. He said of the hours at the hotel waiting for news of his leader:
| “ | I had taken my bike for some work to be done, to Harry Hall. Harry turned to me and he said 'He's dead. You know, I am certain he's dead.' I said 'No, no, that's not possible, Harry.' Harry said 'He was taken to hospital, we can hope for the best, but I'm certain he's dead.' This knocked me, personally, and I started to think there was a possibility that he could have been dead. Then suddenly, as we went in for the meal Alec Taylor pulled me to one side. He said 'We've had positive news from the hospital. He's been announced dead on arrival at the hospital.' | ” |
| “ | Although I knew I was a grown man, I remember being almost hysterical in tears. I felt as if something inside me died when Tom died. | ” |
Next day the French rider, Jean Stablinski, said the remaining riders wanted Denson, as Simpson's closest friend, to ride ahead of the race and win for Simpson. The victory went instead to Barry Hoban, who said he found himself at the front but remembers nothing else. Denson is still upset.
Denson lost heart, began missing contracts. He recovered by the end of the year and talked to the Italian team, Molteni, about joining. Instead he signed for Kelvinator to ride the Giro d'Italia. A year later (1968) he returned to Britain and rode for the domestic professional team, Bantel.
Read more about this topic: Vin Denson
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“A man that apprehends death no more dreadfully but as a drunken sleep, careless, reckless, and fearless of what’s past, present, or to come; insensible of mortality, and desperately mortal.”
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)