(Photo by Pierre Teyssot/Action Plus via Getty Images)
Pro Cyclist Miguel Angel Lopez Slaps Fan Who Tripped Him During Giro d'Italia
Miguel Angel Lopez entered Saturday with one thing in mind: find a way to win the Giro d'Italia, which was in its penultimate leg.
The Giro d'Italia is a 21-day segmented race over the midst of 23 days. It takes place in—you guessed it—Italy and occasionally passes through neighboring countries.
What cyclists like Lopez can expect is a daunting test of will. What they probably don't expect is the kind of obstacle the Colombian was faced with during Saturday's leg.
A fan running alongside Lopez on the edge of the road collided with another fan before falling into Lopez, knocking him off his bike.
A video portraying a visibly upset Lopez shows him striking the fan in the head.
On Sunday, Lopez finished 18th. He crossed the finish line 1:49 after the race's winner.
“I’m sorry for what happened, I was full of pure adrenaline," Lopez said, per the Associated Press. "But there needs to be more respect for the cyclists.”
Perhaps he has a point.
