Stetina showing signs of improvement after traumatic brain injury

Former U.S. national road champion Dale Stetina, father of Garmin-Sharp’s Peter Stetina and brother of Shimano USA vice president Wayne Stetina, has showed improvement over the last week during his battle to recover from life-threatening injuries suffered in a crash near Boulder, Colorado, on August 31.

Stetina suffered a traumatic brain stem injury in the crash, which reportedly came after a driver pulled across the oncoming traffic lane ahead of a group of cyclists in Lefthand Canyon. He remained in critical condition at the Boulder Community Hospital after being airlifted from the crash site, and has taken significant steps in regards to his cognitive function since reconstructive oral surgery late last week, according to friends and family.

“I told him about how the races [WorldTour events in Quebec] went and he tried his best to give me training advice,” Peter Stetina wrote in an email shared with VeloNews. “It was hard to follow, but it shows his mind is trying to process complex theories. He was making regular eye contact and even told me I need to get five percent more power. I told him about switching to BMC next season, he didn’t remember this had happened but he understood what I was telling him and processed that as well. I also asked him if he remembers Loba (my dog) and he said yes.”

After an evaluation on Thursday, Stetina should transfer to the Craig Hospital in Denver where he will undergo rehabilitation.

A trust fund has been established at rally.org to help with medical expenses. As of 6:50 p.m. EDT on Friday, 72 donors had pledged $6,331.