Cycle race marshal nearly mown down by team car

THE director of a cycling team has promised to buy a volunteer marshal a beer after almost mowing him down at the Tour de Yorkshire.

Astana, the cycling team, said it was “deeply sorry” after Philip Sullivan, a race marshal, was forced to leap out of the path of one of its cars as it careered through a traffic island where he was standing.

Mr Sullivan, 35, said he was “shaken but unhurt” after the incident on Sunday during the race’s final stage in Leeds. Astana has spoken to Mr Sullivan and “will have some gifts for him”. In a statement, it said: “The sport director that was driving the car contacted the race organiser directly after the race to send our apologies. We’re sorry and want this to never happen again.”

Mr Sullivan is understood to have spoken to Lars Michaelsen, the Astana sports director, and said he would volunteer at next year’s race, when the two will “meet for a beer”.