Raisin improving

American cyclist Saul Raisin is continuing to show signs of improvement, despite remaining in a coma in a hospital in Angers, France. Raised crashed in last week's Circuit de la Sarthe and went into a coma last Wednesday after a brain haemorrhage. Doctors performed two operations on Thursday to reduce the swelling in his brain, and his condition stabilised. He is reportedly two weeks ahead of schedule in coming out of his coma.

On Tuesday, Raisin showed some positive signs: he was able to squeeze both his parents' hands in response to questions, allaying early fears that he might be paralysed on one side. "Today he had a real good day," Saul's uncle Johnny Raisin told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "Everybody's excited about it. We just hope he keeps improving. But [doctors] said it might not be a good day every day."

It is still unclear exactly how Raisin crashed, but initial reports that he had an epileptic seizure have been denied by his team doctor and family.