A Warsash cyclist was a victim in a cycling event during which “mindless” vandals threw tacks in the road that threatened the safety of thousands of riders.
Keen cyclist Paul Clements lost control of his bike and collided into a bank during the two-day UK Cycling New Forest Spring Sportive event last weekend.
Vandals tried to scupper the amateur cycling tour, where thousands of people pedalled along a 50 mile or 80 mile route, by damaging signs directing the cyclists and throwing drawing pins and tacks on the road to puncture the riders’ tyres.
Marshals swept the tacks off the road in Boldre before riders cycled along the road. But some, including Mr Clements suffered punctures.
Fortunately it did not stop the 51-year-old from finishing the route and he was merely held up changing his tyre.
Mr Clements, a chimney sweep of Saxon Close, said: “When we arrived we were told that saboteurs had been taking signs down and that the organisers were having to paint directions on the road, they told us to be wary and make sure we had our maps on us.
“We didn’t think any more of it and didn’t expect to see any protestors.
“We started off in Tiptoe Hall, but only two miles from there I was going about 20mph round a corner when my back tyre went, I struggled to control it and ended up going into the bank.
“I looked at my tyre and saw that I’d picked up a drawing pin from somewhere I assumed from the hall we’d started in. It wasn’t until one of the organisers was doing a safety check said to me that protestors had been throwing these tacks in the road that I realised what had happened.
“They informed me they were in touch with the police. It was very dangerous because I was going at pace, it could have caused a nasty accident. Being a local guy it’s not what you would expect to happen at all.”
More than 1,000 direction and safety signs had been removed or thrown across the New Forest National Park, which meant organisers had to replace them before the 1,850 cyclists set off.
Martin Barden, director of UK Cycling, said there were no injuries to the cyclists but said the behaviour was “mindless”.
“There was an attempt – a failed attempt but still an attempt – to endanger the cyclists by putting tacks on the road which is obviously highly dangerous and in addition to that by removing all of our signage,” he said.
“It’s mindless vandalism. It destroyed our safety signage which cost £4,000. It was thrown into the bushes which is appalling in itself.
“The police are pursuing it and there are witnesses to the sign disruption.
“Despite what happened the event was a big success,” he said. “It didn’t cause disruption to the event. We had enough support from our safety marshals. We managed to put right the vandalism before the cyclists set off.
“It’s just a small minority who have taken this opportunity to vandalise this event. I think it’s appalling what they’ve done and it could’ve endangered lives. It didn’t affect our riders but did affect a local resident who was travelling to work.”
Heavy rain and waterlogging added to the organisers’ problems, forcing the second day to cancelled.