BOULDER, Colo. -

A Boulder athlete and two Californians were injured in a freak accident Sunday when a tree fell on a group of cyclists competing in the Vineman Triathlon in Sonoma County, Calif.

An oak tree fell onto the cyclists about 7 miles into the 55-mile bicycle ride, crushing the rear tire of Howard Holderness' bike and the front end of Jim Briner's bicycle, according to the Santa Rosa, Calif., Press Democrat.

A third cyclist, Greg Griffin, 57, of Boulder, slid into the tree and broke his collarbone, according to the newspaper.

Holderness, 43, a San Francisco attorney, suffered a severe back injury and broken arm, while Briner, of Brentwood, Calif., also suffered a broken collarbone.

"I heard this crack," Holderness told the Press Democrat from his hospital bed at Santa Rosa's Memorial Hospital on Sunday. "And then I was on the ground and in a lot of pain."

The race continued after firefighters removed the tree from the roadway.

Archived comments

The area's trees are all dying of SODS (Sudden Oak Death Syndrome), it was only a matter of time before one fell on someone.

But I have to wonder if this one had been in contact with the maple that fell on the Priuses.

LadyArwyn@yahoo.com

7/20/2009 12:46:08 AM

Good thing they were wearing spandex.

Stiven

7/20/2009 7:06:29 AM

It's official.There is an acronym for everything.

bouldermeister

7/20/2009 7:41:53 AM

Even the trees get teed-off at the bikeys and fight back.Wonder if they got the license plate number of that tree?

surfriders

7/20/2009 7:57:58 AM

So we're cutting down trees for bike paths, and a tree falls on a cyclist.Coincidence, I think not.

Sequel to Hitchcock's "the Birds":"The Trees."

Forewarned is forearmed.In this case, I suggest a double-bitted axe.

Flang

7/20/2009 9:00:38 AM

bouldermeister, don't you mean AFE?

surfy, c'mon man. Relax.

Glad nobody was killed.

WesternSky

7/20/2009 10:24:40 AM

There IS a God!

angrynative

7/20/2009 1:00:16 PM

"Holderness, 43, a San Francisco attorney, suffered a severe back injury and broken arm"

No doubt someone will be sued will an attorney hurt.I hope the tree's family has excellent insurance.

spankymcgee

7/20/2009 1:55:09 PM

Did the trees make a sound when they fell?

dj80long

7/20/2009 9:57:10 PM

No, But the bikeys did......

joker49

7/20/2009 10:33:48 PM

Good gracious people, get a life already!

inmyriver

7/20/2009 11:35:13 PM

I guess the falling tree made a sound

mtnview

7/21/2009 8:23:56 AM

It was a crime of arbortunity.

Shiny

7/21/2009 5:20:02 PM

Surfrider...please remember to take your meds tomorrow.

johnbarleycorn

7/21/2009 6:51:27 PM

just so you know, the people who were injured have family members who care for them.and they google.

spankymcgee...would you be so flippant if your brother lay in an ICU room with a broken back?

but i must admit, Shiny, the "crime of arbortunity" made me laugh.

nc_inside

7/22/2009 9:31:44 PM

Perhaps not a tree but an Ent.

positraction

7/23/2009 10:07:12 AM