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Sabotage strikes cycling race in Surrey for second year runningDrawing pins found at Redhill CC race 2015 cropped (picture courtesy Adrian Webb)

Sabotage strikes cycling race in Surrey for second year running

Drawing pins scattered on course of Redhill CC 70th Anniversary Road Race last Saturday
by Simon_MacMichael
Thu, Jun 25, 2015 13:22
10

A bike race in Surrey has been targeted by saboteurs sprinkling drawing pins on the course for the second year running.

The drawing pins were scattered on the route of the Redhill Cycling Club 70th Anniversary Road Race on Saturday afternoon while the event was in progress.

One rider who punctured stopped and warned other riders of the hazard on Blanks Lane, around 1 kilometre from the circuit’s finish line.

He then picked up the pins as the race continued, putting himself at risk according to organisers, who have notified Surrey Police.

Drawing pins in tyre at Redhill CC race (picture courtesy Adrian Webb)

Adrian Webb, the club’s chairman, told road.cc: "For the second time in two years, at the same race, same venue, someone has decided that perhaps a minute of inconvenience is worth putting riders at the risk of serious injury.

“Redhill CC has held this race for 70 years now and in most of those years, local residents would have been out to cheer those competing locally.

“Today when cycling is a sport in which Britain is truly great, it's a crushing shame that drivers are unwilling to share the road on which racers have police permission to compete," he added.

There have been a number of such incidents at sportives and races across the UK in recent years, with at least two riders injured while taking part in Velothon Wales earlier this month when tacks were placed on the road in two separate locations.

sabotage
tacks
drawing pins
Redhill
Simon MacMichael

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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10 comments

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stealth | 9 years ago
0 likes

Would it ok to go out with one of things the police use to stop joyriders & just give random cars on 'rat-runs' punctures?

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Tony | 9 years ago
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Even if they do catch someone they won't follow through which means there is no deterrent against doing it.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/tayside_and_central/8445567.stm

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alansmurphy | 9 years ago
0 likes

I wonder what would happen if one sneaked a Brompton into Silverstone and set such traps during the F1...

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Bob's Bikes | 9 years ago
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Quote. One rider who punctured stopped and warned other riders of the hazard...He then picked up the pins as the race continued, putting himself at risk according to organisers, who have notified Surrey Police. Unqoute.

Unfortunately the cynic in me can see the police wasting time investigating this than actually putting any effort in to finding the little scrote that placed the tacks.

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iliketoridemybicycle | 9 years ago
0 likes

I would if the police could identify the culprits by checking the records of mobile phone masts in the vicinity of the incident and then cross referencing against similar incidents.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-33247533

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mduncombe | 9 years ago
0 likes

strikes me the effort to actually go out and buy drawing pins and then go to a cycle race and find a suitable spot to throw them on the ground was far more on an inconvenience.

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Simmo72 | 9 years ago
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You can picture the type of idiot that would have this mentality. Ignorant. Bet he was in the local village store for the last 2 years buying drawing pins, he's (or she) is not going to be the brightest of the bunch.

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Metaphor | 9 years ago
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The BBC, in an article about LGBT victims on (Radio 1, Tuesday), stated that hate crime is 'any crime motivated by prejudice'. Would this type of attack not count as such, and thus demand the mobilisation of great police efforts?

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maldin | 9 years ago
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At what point do the authorities decide to act rather than say there is nothing they can do? If this was considered terrorism, despite the difficulty of finding evidence, there would be an ongoing investigation to prevent repeat occurrences, potential injury and death - in other words, something _could_ be done about it. Someone targets random individuals of a group of people in society with the intent to sow fear by causing injury or death - how is this not terrorism or a hate crime?

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atgni | 9 years ago
0 likes

Pathetic!
Maybe time to hire a sweeper, with a magnetic pickup bar, in lieu of a motorbike to lead the ride?
http://www.directindustry.com/prod/eriez-magnetics-europe-limited/produc...

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