Estonian racing cyclist hits dog at 60 km/h in Turkey, escapes injury
Cyclist Rein Taaramäe hit a dog that ran into the peloton during the third and final stage of the Tour of Samsun in Turkey, but escaped without injury.
The incident happened on the third and final stage of the UCI 2.2-level race, on Turkey's north coast, when a stray dog suddenly darted into the group. Taaramäe, who rides for the Kinan Racing Team, had no time to react.
"I accidentally hit a dog that suddenly ran into the group. I was pulling at the front at the time and had just looked at the speed, which was exactly 60 km/h. I had no time to brake or react. But I'm fine," Taaramäe said.
Despite the incident, Taaramäe finished 83rd in the 146.3-kilometer stage after a bunch sprint finish, just over five minutes behind stage and overall winner Ramazan Yilmaz in his home race. He placed 51st overall.
Dogs wandering onto major cycle races and sometimes joining the peloton is a fairly common occurrence. However, there was no immediate word on the condition of the dog in this case.
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Editor: Andrew Whyte, Henrik Laever
