The cycling race set off from Salobreña for its next leg on Thursday but the event did not go off without a painful hitch.
The Mayor (still) Mª Eugenia Rufino, was standing on the passenger’s seat of the car with her upper torso out of the sun roof, waving a flag, leading the cyclists through the streets of Salobreña before they began the actual leg of the race, which would take them through Molvízar, Ítrabo Jete and Almuñécar before continuing on.
Salobreña was packed with Guardia Civil bikers as escort and the Policía Local manned every junction to keep the roads clear for the cyclists participating in the Vuelta Ciclista a Andalucía femenina, la Elite Woman.
However, at one point the lead car braked and several cyclists ploughed into the back of it.
Now it’s not clear why it braked but some cyclists were cycling parallel with it when the car braked, where they should not have been. So, perhaps the car was driving too slowly for the cyclists, or because the cyclists were too eager and closed with the car; one of the two must have caused this mishap.
Nobody was hurt enough to abandon the race after some cyclists collided and fell on top of each other in a small bundle – most cyclists managed to avoid this.
(News: Salobrena, Costa Tropical, Granada, Andalucia – Video: Gazette reader)
Aitor.
I understand that the roads are shut for the safety of all. I’m actually referring to the utter stupidity of standing on the seat, with the top half of the body out of the car. It’s a thing teenagers do, at their peril; not grown persons. Still, at least no one was badly hurt.
Linda Zanetti from team UAE was taken to hospital by ambulance after the incident and obviously abandoned the race. She was 2nd overall at this point.
All of the cyclists were behind the car when it braked. However it is not illegal to cycle parallel to the race commissaire’s car as a cyclist is allowed to approach the car to talk to the race referee.
Patrick, as the roads are closed to traffic the normal rules of the road are not applicable for example all of the riders have an earphone with a team radio which is illegal in Spain in normal circumstances.
So let me see… A PR Opportunity too good to miss, Laws of the Land and traffic, ignored. Seat belt? Standing through sun roof with the Guardia Civil and Policia Local in close attendance, turning the blind eyes to the obvious traffic violations!
It would have been ironically funny, if she had done a stunt-person catapult, with the abrupt stopping of the car.
I know she’s the Mayor and loves the publicity, but it’s not the best example Don’t do as I do etc.