Irish cycling team bus destroyed in ‘cowardly’ arson attack
A cycling team competing at the Vuelta a Espana 2017 race have had their team bus obliterated in an apparent arson attack before the start of Thursday's stage 12 in Spain.
Our team bus has been completely damaged in a cowardly arson attack over night. No one was injured. Police have arrested a suspect. #LV2017pic.twitter.com/SI1u449qO6
— Aqua Blue Sport (@AquaBlueSport) August 31, 2017
Irish cycling team Aqua Blue Sport had parked the team bus outside their hotel in Almeria, Andalusia in Southern Spain, but by the morning it had been destroyed by flames.
“Our team bus has been completely damaged in a cowardly arson attack over night. No one was injured. Police have arrested a suspect,” the team tweeted following the attack.
Fans took to Twitter to voice their support for the team.
Fuck all that... @AquaBlueSport are going to set today's stage on fire! #LV2017https://t.co/94yAL2fuVq
— Rick Delaney (@RickDelaneyABS) August 31, 2017
Fortunately race organizers provided a replacement for Thursday's 160.1km ride from Motril to Antequera.
The team later tweeted a defiant picture of its riders together on the replacement coach and giving the thumbs up to the camera with the caption "Nothing is going to stop us starting today's La Vuelta stage. Thank you for all the support."
#LV2017 Nothing is going to stop us starting today's La Vuelta stage. Thank you for all the support. pic.twitter.com/A9xzf5mbni
— Aqua Blue Sport (@AquaBlueSport) August 31, 2017
The Vuelta a Espana is an annual multi-stage bicycle race held mainly in Spain. Aqua Blue Sport team riders taking part were earlier announced as Adam Blythe, Mark Christian, Conor Dunne, Aaron Gate, Peter Koning, Michel Kreder, Lasse Norman Hansen, Larry Warbasse and Stefan Denifl.
