Vuelta a Costa Rica: Taxi driver crashes into peloton
WATCH: A TAXI driver caused a horrific accident at the Vuelta a Costa Rica after driving directly into the path of the speeding peloton.
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A TAXI driver struck three lead cyclists — two of them German — competing in a Costa Rica road race that had just started out from the capital San Jose, authorities said.
None of the riders was seriously hurt in Monday’s mishap.
Video shot by spectators showed the taxi pulling out from the curb after police cars with sirens blaring swept ahead of the 100-strong pack taking part in the first stage of the Vuelta a Costa Rica.
Momento en que taxista embiste ciclistas de la #VueltaCR ¡Imprudentes asà deberÃan salir de las calles! ¡Opine Ud.! pic.twitter.com/06yHDPjJ1h
— Waze Costa Rica (@WazeCR) December 14, 2015The taxi then suddenly swung left across the path of the cyclists, causing the riders at the front to collide with it and sending them tumbling to the asphalt.
The peloton stopped for more than 30 minutes after the incident and cyclists tried to confront the taxi driver who stayed in his car.
VÃdeo del momento en que el taxista atropella a 3 ciclistas en la #VueltaCR pic.twitter.com/0A5Ha2WzoJ
— TDMás (@TDMasCR) December 14, 2015The motorist says he wasn’t to blame, however, and claims that race officials told him to turn left to get off the road.
“I’m out here trying to make an honourable salary and the cyclists are the ones who acted out with vandalism when they began to kick my car,” the driver told daily La Nacion.
One of those hurt, German rider Jan-Niklas Junguer, suffered lesions but was able to continue the race, said a local traffic police chief, Eddy Brenes.
The accident was referred to prosecutors for investigation.
The Vuelta a Costa Rica is an 11-stage race across the Central American country, with the final stage taking place on Christmas Day. The event is in its 51st year and is part of the UCI America Tour.
-with AFP
Originally published as Vuelta a Costa Rica: Taxi driver crashes into peloton
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