What is going on? Mitchelton-Scott nearly go down as well! #TirrenoAdriatico pic.twitter.com/sRBCk4WUWo
— Paul Knott (@P_Knott) March 13, 2019
Mitchelton-Scott’s team time trial victory in Tirreno-Adriatico was almost ripped from their hands when a pedestrian walked out onto the course.
The TTT unit fortunately missed the woman and her dog as they hit the final corner of the course, going on to take the win on stage one.
That near miss came shortly after two Bora-Hansgrohe riders were taken out by another pedestrian who walked across the course.
Coverage from the race showed Mitchelton-Scott navigating a chicane with 1.2km left to race.
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As they emerged from the corner, a woman and her dog can be seen staggering back in the middle of the road as the remaining five riders speed past.
Despite the tense moment, Mitchelton-Scott rode to a seven-second victory over winners-in-waiting Jumbo-Visma.
Adam Yates now the best placed of the general classification contenders, as Michael Hepburn goes into the leader’s jersey.
Oscar Gatto and Rafał Majka were the two riders caught in the crash, both hitting the pedestrian who fell to the floor.
The Bora-Hansgrohe squad, which includes Peter Sagan, were in the opening three kilometres of their team effort when the crash happened.
Sagan and his other team-mates were able to avoid the collision, as the man appeared not to see the race speeding towards him.
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The remaining five riders crossed the line with a time of 22-44, ahead of Ag2r La Mondiale who posted a time of 24-26.
In 2017 during the opening time trial on the same roads at Lido di Camaiore three-time world champion Sagan nearly collided with a woman and her dog who had walked out onto the course.
Thankfully for the dog walker, Sagan was able to take evasive action, nipping through a gap in the raised kerb separating the road from an adjoining bike bath, with other spectators out of the way.
His time trial ruined, an exasperated Sagan turned to shake his head at the woman before continuing with his ride.
