Like many people, sports is my go-to escape pod.  It doesn’t matter what problem I’m facing, I jump into that hatch and – whoooooosh – I’m off in another world, transfixed by a Durant/Westbrook scoring spree or a Carlos Quentin homer.

Everything unpleasant just… disappears.

Weylandt's teammates ride together on day of mourning.

Until something happens like it did yesterday at the Giro I’Italia.  As I wrote, 26-year-old Wouter Weylandt died in a horrible accident on Stage Three of the race.

In an instant, the life of a gifted athlete with a pregnant fiance and a giant world of possibilities ahead of him ended.

Just like that.

It’s not that this is some great revelation to me.  I’ve lost friends and relatives.  I understand mortality all too well.

It’s just there are days when the sports can’t make it all better.  Some days, it can’t keep you from noticing the names of soldiers who’ve died in Afghanistan or the picture of the little girl who was tortured by her parents or the grieving family of the man who was run off the road by a drunk driver.

Some days you just have to give in.

This is one of those days.

RIP, Wouter.

I’ve been bitterly complaining for over a week that I can’t get coverage of the Giro D’Italia, cycling’s big race leading up to the Tour de France.

Now, I might be glad I don’t have it.

2011 Giro d’ Italia, Leopard-Trek. Photo: Gregg Bleakney

Belgian cyclist Wouter Weylandt, 27, died after a crashing on a narrow descent that led down to the coast road toward the finish line.

It’s not exactly clear what caused the crash, but he apparently fell at a very high speed while trying to stay close to the attacking peloton. TV images captured Weylandt lying on his back with traces of blood. Doctors quickly arrived and immediately began CPR. He was later transported by helicopter and confirmed dead by officials.

With cameras relentessly rolling, the young Leopard-Trek cyclist lay bleeding, his neck clearly broken as the doctors worked on him.  There are no words that describe the disgust I feel for those who directed the live television coverage to continue, no doubt while Weylandt’s family and friends watched.

Of course, “out of respect,”  it has been decided not to show “highlights” of the third stage tonight.  But it is so very much too little, too late.

Race leader and top sprinter Mark Cavendish inadvertently predicted this tragic development just before the race in a tweet:

A post-race interview with Garmin sports director Bingen Fernandez makes it apparent why Cavendish felt that way.

Fernandez was on the scene moments after the accident and discusses that portion of the ride as “very dangerous” with asphalt that might not have been in the best condition for racing.

Time will tell.  But it won’t bring Weylandt back.

Meanwhile, the post-race tweet from Cavendish says it all: