Cyclist suffers fracture after being thrown from bike by masked motorbike passenger during club ride
The 67-year-old needed nine stitches in his arm after he was left lying in the road
A cyclist was left with a fracture after he was shoved from his bike by a masked motorbike passenger during a club ride.
Andrew Marsden, 67, needed nine stitches when he was thrown from his bike and left lying in the road.
Mr Marsden was riding with Cannon Hill Cycle Club in Birmingham on Tuesday (September 17) when he fell victim to the unprovoked attack.
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He told Birmingham Live: “I’m not angry with the person who did this, just sad he thinks he has to do something like this to get his kicks.
“I’m lucky I didn’t need a major operation.”
Mr Marsden, a retired Spanish teacher, was riding at around 20mph with three others in the Weoley Castle area on their 30-mile ‘Evening Energiser’ ride when two motorbikes overtook.
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The passenger of one of the motorbikes, who was wearing a white bandana over the lower part of his face as a mask, pushed Mr Marsden from his bike.
He was taken to hospital for X-rays which revealed a fractured elbow, and he also needed nine stitches to close a wound in the joint.
West Midlands Police have confirmed they are investigating the incident, which happened at around 7pm.
Cycling Weekly reported earlier this week that masked criminals are filming themselves pushing cyclists off their bikes and posting the footage on social media.
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The criminals have also been filming themselves stealing motorbikes and then offering them for sale.
Senior campaigns officer at charity Cycling UK, Sam Jones, said: “This sort of behaviour is a sick joke which is putting people’s lives and well-being at risk.
“Social media outlets have a responsibility to make sure content like this doesn’t make it before the public – but more importantly this should act as a wake-up call that the country needs more roads policing.”
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Alex Ballinger is editor of BikeBiz magazine, the leading publication for the UK cycle industry, and is the former digital news editor for CyclingWeekly.com. After gaining experience in local newsrooms, national newspapers and in digital journalism, Alex found his calling in cycling, first as a reporter, then as news editor responsible for Cycling Weekly's online news output, and now as the editor of BikeBiz. Since pro cycling first captured his heart during the 2010 Tour de France (specifically the Contador-Schleck battle) Alex covered three Tours de France, multiple editions of the Tour of Britain, and the World Championships, while both writing and video presenting for Cycling Weekly. He also specialises in fitness writing, often throwing himself into the deep end to help readers improve their own power numbers. Away from the desk, Alex can be found racing time trials, riding BMX and mountain bikes, or exploring off-road on his gravel bike. He’s also an avid gamer, and can usually be found buried in an eclectic selection of books.
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