Strade Bianche always delivers a thrilling spectacle but this year was a little different. Saturday’s racing delivered absolutely wild images of Demi Vollering and a race moto nearly getting sideswiped by a horse as the SD Worx rider chased a breakaway. Vollering safely escaped the equine interloper, chased down the lead rider and won Strade in a thrilling sprint. But it all could have ended very differently.
Vollering’s close call isn’t the only time the pro peloton’s had close calls, and the occasional collision, with the animal world. Open courses on public roads are great for fans to get close to the racing, but it’s less fun when animals join in the action. Pets, farmer’s herds and even wildlife have disrupted major and minor races for years.
Here are 13.5 more times the animal world crossed path with the world of pro cycling.
That shriek from Demi. Chilling stuff pic.twitter.com/FJB1FCX3V9
— The TT Podcast 🚴 (@ttpdcst) March 4, 2023
Demi Vollering at 2023 Strade Bianche
SD Worx 1-2 finish at 2023 Strade Bianche almost didn’t happen when a horse dove onto course beside Demi Vollering rider. The Dutch rider avoided the horse and its wildly whipping lead, continued her chase and won the race.
Il video con i cavalli impauriti che hanno invaso la 13^ tappa del #giro , by @signorbiga pic.twitter.com/rCPNgDminP
— Team Lampre Merida (@lampre_merida) May 21, 2016
Horses join galloping Giro d’Italia descent
Vollering equine encounter isn’t the only time horses have joined in a major race. During the 2016 Giro d’Italia, a pair of horses galloped along as the peloton flew down a winding, technical descent. Superstitious race fans won’t be surprised to learn the close call happened during the Giro’s 13th stage, from Palmanova to Cividale del Friuli. A Movistar team car attempted to guide the horses off course, with little success, but luckily all riders safely rode away.
On the fourth and final day of the 2019 Vuelta a Andalucia and whole herd of cattle stampeded onto the road mid-stage. Somehow, all riders, team cars and cows safely steered clear of each other.
Just a wee disruption: Tour of Poland’s tiny horse
The 2017 had a slight disruption to the sixth stage of racing when a miniature horse joined in the race. The pint-sized pinto was able to keep up with the peloton for over a kilometre before a Gazprom-RusVelo rider ushered it out of the way.
Course de la Paix jr @OutOfCycling
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Canadian Cycling Magazine…