Everybody goes down. What you do that night decides how the next two weeks go.

Clean, covered, cared for.

Road rash is an abrasion: a slide wears away the top layers of skin and grinds dirt and grit into what's left. The first job is getting it clean, gently and thoroughly, because dirt left in the wound is what causes infections and tattoo-like marks. After that, healing skin does best kept clean, moist and covered, not dried out into a hard scab that cracks every time you move.

The routine riders use is short. Clean it as soon as you can. Split+ whipped balm on it that night and every night, with a clean dressing over the top. Massage Cream and Repair for the bruised, stiff muscles around it once the skin is closed. And get it looked at if it's deep, if dirt won't come out, or if it gets red, hot or swollen. Some crashes need a doctor, not a balm.