Gunshots fired at the boys of SC Padovani: what happened

An incident that would be reductive to define as simply serious. While the riders of Sc Padovani Polo Cherry Bank were training on the road, they were pulled alongside by a motorist who, in addition to forcing them off the road, fired gunshots in their direction.

Investigations will determine whether the shots were blanks or not, but regardless, the seriousness of what happened and the enormous risk faced by the riders—who were simply training in full compliance with traffic laws—remains. Below is the statement released by the team on their official website with all the details.

“A sunny winter training morning, with the Sc Padovani Polo Cherry Bank group training on the road, followed by the staff in the team car. Suddenly, a dark-colored car pulls alongside the cyclists, the driver lowers the window and fires two gunshots at the athletes. The riders barely have time to duck in fear, then the car speeds away without leaving any trace.

Shock and disbelief dominated yesterday at the pre-Christmas training camp of the Padua-based team after what happened late in the morning, while the group led by sports directors Dimitri Konychev, Matteo Paiola, Franco Lampugnani and Biagio Conte was training in Val d’Adige.

The program included riding in double file, so the squad was divided into two groups of seven athletes each, riding along the SS12 near Dolcè and closely followed by the team’s three cars. During a transfer phase, while the team car had moved ahead to wait for the athletes at the turnaround point, the terrible ambush occurred. An episode that shocked athletes, staff and management and that could have had far more serious consequences; once they returned to the headquarters set these days at the Veronello Resort, the team gathered all testimonies and images documenting the incident in order to file a complaint with the authorities.

‘We are relieved that all the boys are safe after what happened yesterday. This is a terrible incident that we hope will never happen again: the road is our riders’ gym and, as a team, we have adopted all the necessary measures to allow them to ride safely. Unfortunately, when faced with the madness of certain individuals, there is really nothing we can do. What happened yesterday in Val d’Adige, moreover, is not the only episode of aggression by motorists against Padovani athletes training in recent weeks. It should be remembered that last September Marco Palomba was also hit by a hit-and-run driver; it is necessary to raise awareness among all those who get behind the wheel toward a culture of greater respect,’ commented President Galdino Peruzzo.

‘The Lake Garda area is one of the most welcoming and suitable places to train in this period. Every day we carefully plan training routes to avoid main traffic arteries and peak hours; not by chance we had moved to Val d’Adige, on a smooth and fairly wide road that on Saturdays is free from heavy traffic. Our athletes wear highly visible clothing and have lights on their bikes to be seen by motorists. We followed the riders from the first to the last kilometer; sometimes, with the team car, we allow drivers to overtake, but greater respect is needed,’ added sports director Dimitri Konychev.”

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