Vuelta a Espana: Aqua Blue Sport team bus destroyed in apparent arson attack
- Published
Aqua Blue Sport had been given a wildcard to compete in this year's Vuelta
A cycling team competing at the Vuelta a Espana had their bus destroyed in an apparent arson attack before the start of Thursday's stage 12 in Spain.
Aqua Blue Sport had parked their team bus outside their hotel in Almeria, but by the morning it had been gutted by flames.
The Irish team said there were no injuries caused by the incident.
"Our team bus has been completely damaged in a cowardly arson attack overnight," they tweeted.
Race organisers have provided a replacement for Thursday's 160.1km ride from Motril to Antequera.
"Nothing is going to stop us starting today's La Vuelta stage. Thank you for all the support," the team added.
One photo tweeted by Aqua Blue Sport appears to show the remains of a mattress that had been placed under the rear of the bus
Photos posted by Aqua Blue Sport showed the damaged caused to their bus
The interior of the bus was significantly damaged by the fire
Aqua Blue Sport were provided with a replacement coach by race organisers
"Nothing is going to stop us starting today's La Vuelta stage. Thank you for all the support," the team tweeted on Thursday morning
Britain's Chris Froome of Team Sky is the current overall leader, with the 32-year-old one minute and 19 seconds ahead of Italian Vincenzo Nibali.
Froome is biding to become only the third man, after the French duo of Jacques Anquetil and Bernard Hinault, to have won both the Tour de France and the Vuelta a Espana in the same season.