A 25-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of firing two shots at a group of cyclists from the S.C. Padovani Polo Cherry Bank team, whilst they were training in northern Italy.
Police suspect that the motorist was annoyed at having to overtake cyclists, and displayed what they described as motivated by a “generalised hatred of cyclists”, RMC Sport reports.
After a three-day search, the 25-year-old was arrested and accused of several offences, including aggravated threats and illegal possession of a weapon.
During a search of his home and vehicle, a pistol loaded with blank cartridges was found.
The Italian Cycling Federation stated that it will provide the club and its riders with legal support for any future court cases. It will also take part in the criminal proceedings as a civil party.
Footage, shared by the team on social media, appeared to show a BMW driver pulling alongside seven riders as they trained on the SS12 road near Dolcè, close to Lake Garda, on 21 December.
In the video, one rider seemed to duck as the shots were allegedly fired, before the motorist drove away.
In a statement, the team said that the attack took place at a time when the squad’s sport directors, who normally follow the riders in a team car during training camps, had pulled over to wait for another group.
The team’s president, Galdino Peruzzo said: “This is a terrible incident that we hope will never happen again: the road is our boys’ training ground, and as a club, we have taken all necessary measures to ensure they ride safely.
“Unfortunately, faced with the madness of certain individuals, we really can’t do anything. What happened yesterday in Val d’Adige, moreover, is not the only incident of aggression by motorists against Padovani athletes who have been training in recent weeks.
“It should be remembered that last September, Marco Palomba was also hit by a hit-and-run driver; it is necessary to raise awareness among all those who get behind the wheel of a more respectful culture.”
Alexander Konychev, a four-time stage winner at the Tour de France, added that: “The Lake Garda area is one of the most hospitable and suitable for training during this period.”
“Every day we carefully and meticulously plan our training routes to avoid the main roads and peak traffic times. It’s no coincidence that we moved to the Val d’Adige, on a smooth and fairly wide road that’s free of heavy traffic on Saturdays.
“Our athletes wear visible clothing and have lights on their bikes to make themselves visible to motorists. We followed the riders from the first to the last kilometre. Every now and then, with the team car, we give drivers the chance to overtake, but more respect is needed.”
