Cycling federation apologises after pilot car error diverts 32km riders from Ting Kau Bridge
Hong Kong's cycling federation apologised after a pilot car mistakenly diverted 32km-race participants from the Ting Kau Bridge route on 11 October, blaming a temporary cone move to clear an emergency lane for injured riders.
Hong Kong's cycling federation has apologised after a pilot car error caused participants in the 32km category of Sunday's cycling event to miss the Ting Kau Bridge section of the course, leading to a brief road blockage.
In a statement, the China Hong Kong Cycling Federation said the incident occurred between 7am and 7:15am on 11 October, when two riders in the 56km category crashed while approaching the Ting Kau Bridge stretch and were injured. To allow an ambulance to reach the scene, staff temporarily moved traffic cones at the entrance to the Nam Wan Tunnel, creating an emergency passage.
The federation explained that the repositioning of the cones led the pilot car for the 32km group to mistakenly conclude the route to Ting Kau Bridge had been altered. Instead of turning onto the bridge as planned, the pilot car continued straight towards the Nam Wan Tunnel. Because the section was downhill and riders were travelling at speed, all following participants had to stay behind the pilot car for safety reasons, the federation said.
As a result, the 32km riders did not get to ride over the iconic Ting Kau Bridge, missing what the federation described as a signature course experience. The federation expressed its sincere apologies for the disappointment and inconvenience caused.