“The fella was so pissed he couldn’t even stand up”: British bike race cancelled after “heavily drunk driver” collides with family car on course

The Upton 200, the longest National B-level elite cycling race in Britain, was cancelled after just three laps earlier today, following a serious collision between two members of the public on the course, including what the race organisers have described as a “heavily drunk driver”.

The 200km race, which takes place on the rolling roads south of Pontefract in West Yorkshire, was called off early with just over 30km covered, after two motorists collided on a section of the route, causing serious damage to their vehicles and prompting the race’s marshals, first aid staff, and event staff to intervene to help those involved. According to the Velo UK Twitter account, at least one of the vehicles ended up on its roof following the crash.

While the vehicles reportedly sustained serious damage in the collision, no one involved, including a family with children in one of the cars, was injured. The organisers also noted that the riders were at a different section of the 10km lap at the time of the crash, and so were not involved in the incident.

Although the vehicles involved sustained major damage, no one was injured in the accident.

The race will not restart.

— The Upton 200 | Yomp Bonk Crew (@yompbonkcrew) June 18, 2023

Though no one was hurt, the organisers made the decision to not restart the race and, in a statement published an hour after the event’s cancellation, claimed that one of the motorists involved in the crash was “heavily drunk”.

“It is with great sadness that we had to cancel the Upton 200 today,” the statement from organisers Yomp Bonk Crew said.

“Three laps into the 20-lap race, there was a collision between two public vehicles on the course involving a heavily drunk driver in one vehicle and a family with children in the other. Luckily, nobody involved sustained injuries.

“It is deeply upsetting to see the inconsiderate actions of one individual endanger the lives of so many others.”

The fella was so pissed he couldn’t even stand up. There’s a special place in hell for him. A couple minutes earlier we rode down this road. I hate to think of the outcome if he collided with a peloton of riders at +100mph. The little rat. https://t.co/UUaBOpy6nr

— Cameron Jeffers (@Cameron_Jeffers) June 18, 2023

The organisers’ claim that one of the drivers involved was drunk was corroborated by Cameron Jeffers, who was racing today’s Upton 200 and said on Twitter that “the fella was so pissed he couldn’t even stand up”.

Jeffers continued: “ There’s a special place in Hell for him. A couple minutes earlier we rode down this road. I hate to think of the outcome if he collided with a peloton of riders at +100mph. The little rat.”

The Velo UK Twitter account also claimed that they witnessed several motorists driving “excessively fast” while standing on the circuit.

Announcing that they hope to reorganise the race in the future, the Upton 200’s organisers confirmed that “the race was not at all involved in the incident as it was at a different point of the course, but a huge thank you to Julian Hall First Aid Services, our National Escort Group motorbike marshals, and the event staff who were first on scene to the accident and did an outstanding job of helping those involved as well as keeping the scene clear and making sure the public and riders were kept safe.”

> "Continuing as we are remains unsafe": Calls for British Cycling action as rider airlifted to hospital after collision with car during race

Today’s incident at the Upton 200 isn’t the first time this year that a British National B race has been stopped early due to a collision involving a vehicle.

In March, a racer was airlifted to hospital with a neck injury sustained in a crash with a car stopped on the course of the Dulwich Paragon Wally Gimber Trophy, prompting teams and riders alike to call for safety improvements at races.

The race – one of the longest-running road races in the United Kingdom, having been held every year since 1960 except for 2020 – was called off after the incident on the second lap which saw “one rider hit the back of a stationary car” and sustain “serious injuries”.

The race organisers said the event had been stopped following a “traffic incident”, with the Ride Revolution team confirming to road.cc that their rider had crashed through the vehicle’s rear windscreen, suffering a serious cut to the neck which saw him rushed by air ambulance to King’s College Hospital for emergency treatment.