U.S. Air Force Cycling Classic
Event Beneficiary:
The Raisin Hope Foundation
How you can help:
1. Sign-up to participate in Crystal Ride. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Raisin Hope Foundation
( Register here: Click Here Ride Registration )
2. Make a donation directly to the Raisin Hope Foundation through our Registration page
( Donate here: Click Here Donation Page )
3. Purchase tickets into the Breakaway Club. 100% of these proceeds will benefit the Raisin Hope Foundation
( More details here: Click Here Breakaway Page )
About Saul Raisin, and the
Raisin Hope Foundation
Saul Raisin, a native of Dalton Georgia, began racing mountain bikes at 13 and moved to road bikes when he was 17. Raisin had a good start to his professional career with Crédit Agricole in 2005, finishing 37th in the Tour de Suisse, later having the best result of his career with a 13th place in the Tour of Austria. Excellent results continued, with his strong ninth place finish in the Tour of Germany. He then went on to win the King of the Mountains jersey in the Tour de l'Avenir. In early 2006 Raisin won the third stage of Le Tour de Langkawi and ended the Malaysian Tour placing eleventh overall. At the 2006 Tour of California Raisin came in 17th.
In April 2006, Saul’s world changed in a devastating accident in France. After bridging a breakaway rider three kilometers from the finish in the first stage of the 2006 Circuit de la Sarthe, Saul hit some gravel, crashed and landed on his head, breaking his clavicle and hip. Two days following the accident, Saul was in a coma with a dismal prognosis. A hematoma on his brain had ruptured and required emergency surgery. Survival was marked by minutes, then hours and finally days. His team of doctors was stunned when he began to emerge from his coma after only 6 days. Saul’s strength and determination as a professional cyclist would prove crucial to his rehabilitation as a brain injury survivor.
When Saul was in his hospital bed, he told his family and friends, "If I ever ride a bicycle again, I want to help people like me." He sees his recovery as an opportunity to inspire others and encourage all people with challenges to keep fighting. From this idea, he has started the Raisin Hope Fund. In March 2007, Saul’s first “Raisin Hope” ride in Dalton, Georgia had over 500 riders, and raised over $20,000 for brain and spinal chord injury related charities.
In September 2007, Saul competed in the USA Pro Cycling Championships, a personal victory and milestone in and of itself. Determined to race with his team in 2008, Saul was stunned this past Thanksgiving eve, by the unexpected news that despite passing scores on a battery of neuropsychological tests, team doctors—fearing what another crash may mean for Saul’s brain—had put the brakes on Saul’s remarkable attempt to return to his beloved sport of professional cycling.
Saul is now able to focus his passion on the Raisin Hope Foundation, with the goal of becoming a world wide resource for brain injury survivors, their families and friends.
He continues to train for the love of sport in Salt Lake City, Utah, where he and his wife Aleeza make their home.
“For every door that closes, a new & better one opens.” Saul Raisin
www.saulraisin.com
