Farmers stick a spoke in the wheel of cycle racers in ‘road closures protest’
Angry competitors claim elderly men attacked them with sticks and knocked one competitor off his bike
CYCLISTS taking part in a road race through the mountains of the Scottish borders were attacked by elderly men brandishing sticks who tried to block their path.
The two men, thought to be in their 70s, were both dressed in tweed and flat caps and were said to be local farmers protesting at road closures preventing them from moving between their fields during the harvest.
Police are investigating the incident and are keen to speak to witnesses who saw the men, who had disappeared by the time they arrived on the scene.
The 74-mile race, which began and ended in Peebles, 23 miles south of Edinburgh, attracted almost 2,000 competitors and required the closure of several roads.
Angry cyclists vented their fury online about the attacks, and organisers of the Tour O The Borders branded the men’s actions “totally outrageous” and said they were “horrified” by what had happened.
The men, who were captured on one of the cyclists’ Gopro cameras, were said to have poked the sticks through riders’ spokes, hit them and caused at least one rider to fall off.
Brian Ogg, one of the cyclists, wrote on the event’s Facebook page: “A great day out, however almost ruined by the two farmers who tried to create a roadblock as wave one joined the A701 by standing in the middle of the road with sticks in each hand trying to get them through the spokes.”
In footage posted online, the two pensioners stand in the middle of the road, brandishing sticks and trying to stop cyclists from passing.
Eddie Petrie, who was in the first wave of riders, said: “It was a totally appalling, unprovoked attack which spoiled the day. Hopefully something will be done and these two idiots will be brought to justice in some way.”
Paul Mellotte, another competitor, said: “I cycled up towards them and noticed they were both holding out big sticks I asked them what has happened and was there a problem ahead? One of them said: ‘You are the problem.’”
Neil Dalgleish, the event organiser, said he was told at least one rider had been forced off his bike and had to be taken to hospital. He said: “I think a truly special day was marred by some thugs, some idiots. Their behaviour is disgusting, and they are a disgrace to the whole of the Borders.”
In recent years, farmers have expressed concerns at not being able to move between their fields at harvest time due to cycling events.
A Police Scotland spokesman said they had not yet been able to identify the two men but that a member of the public had said they were local farmers staging a protest.