Movistar rider Ivan Sosa hit with revolver by lorry driver after close pass

Movistar rider Ivan Sosa has been treated for cuts to his chin after a lorry driver threatened him with a handgun then struck him with the weapon while he was on a training ride in his home country, Colombia – but may face charges himself for allegedly breaking the tractor unit’s windscreen.

The 25 year old, who joined the Spanish WorldTour team last year from Ineos Grenadiers, was riding near Chinauta in the department of Cundinamarca when the incident happened just after noon yesterday, reports El Tiempo.

The lorry driver is reported to have made a close pass on the cyclist before firing his revolver in the air several times, then got out of the cab and hit Sosa with it, with the rider subsequently reporting the incident to the Policia Nacional.

Officers subsequently stopped the driver, who claimed that Sosa had squirted water in his face, before throwing a stone at the lorry’s windscreen, breaking it. He also surrendered his firearm to police, who confirmed that he had a permit for it.

The statement from police added that both Sosa and the driver will be referred to the competent authorities for possible further action – the cyclist for property damage, the lorry driver for causing injury to the person.

Following the incident, Sosa was taken to a medical centre in Fusagasugá for treatment, according to a tweet from Movistar, with the team also confirming that the cyclist remained conscious throughout his ordeal.

Confirmamos que Iván Sosa fue atendido por heridas en el mentón en un centro médico de Fusagasugá (Colombia), su lugar de origen, tras el incidente sufrido este jueves.

El ciclista de Movistar Team ha permanecido consciente en todo momento. ¡Mucho ánimo, amigo! pic.twitter.com/e4JaGyVanZ

— Movistar Team (@Movistar_Team) January 5, 2023

Colombian cycling website Mundo Ciclistico posted a selfie taken by Sosa that shows the cut to his chin.

#URGENTE | 🚴🏻‍♂️🚨 Estas fueron las graves heridas sufridas por Iván Sosa tras el incidente con el conductor de un camión en la vía Silvania - Fusagasugá. El individuo habría agredido al escarabajo en la cara con un arma de fuego 🚴🏻‍♂️🚨

📸©️ Antonio Sosa (Padre del ciclista) pic.twitter.com/SpdZMdHvmF

— Mundo Ciclístico (@mundociclistico) January 5, 2023

Sosa, who began his professional career with the Italian team Androni Giocattoli-Sidemec and  has won a number of stage races including the Vuelta a Burgos, twice, and last season’s Tour de Langkawi, took to Instagram to express his thanks for the messages of support he had received following the incident.

He added: “Luckily it was nothing more than I scare, but I feel fine.”