The Solution Tech-Vini Fantini cycling team has issued a public appeal for information after one of their team cars struck a dog during the Milan-San Remo race on Saturday.
The incident occurred near the coastal town of Pietra Ligure, approximately 75 kilometers from the finish line of the 290-kilometer race, which was ultimately won by Mathieu van der Poel.
While it remains unclear whether the team car stopped after the collision, the team expressed deep regret over the situation. They explained that due to the pace of the race, they were unable to identify the dog’s owner or check on the Labrador’s condition at the time of the incident. The team is now calling on anyone with information to come forward.
The car involved was following the day’s main breakaway group, which included three Solution Tech-Vini Fantini riders—Tommaso Nencini, Kristian Sbaragli, and Britain’s Mark Stewart. The breakaway established a six-minute lead early in the race, but the gap was gradually reduced until the final rider was caught with 27 kilometers to go.
The team shared a statement on social media Sunday, expressing their sorrow for the incident in stark white-on-black text:
“Yesterday, while our athletes were racing at Milan-San Remo, a dog (Labrador) suddenly entered the road in the Pietra Ligure area. Unfortunately, our team car, following the group of attackers, was unable to avoid a collision with the poor animal. We are deeply sorry for what happened and would like to check on the conditions of the dog. For this reason, we are looking for its owner, who we were unable to identify at the time due to the progress of the race. We therefore ask anyone with information on a Labrador hit in the Pietra Ligure area to contact us by email. Please write to: office@toscanafactoryteam”
The cycling world has seen its share of dog-related accidents. In 2023, Remco Evenepoel was knocked off his bike during stage 5 of the Giro d’Italia when a dog ran into the peloton. Similarly, Yves Lampaert of Belgium was taken out by a dog during the opening stage of the previous year’s Tour de France, prompting a frustrated social media plea for dog owners to keep their pets at home.
Cycling Weekly has reached out to Solution Tech-Vini Fantini for further updates on the situation.
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