'A first time for everything' – British rider stung by wasp in Tour of Britain Women breakaway
18-year-old Arabella Blackburn dropped back from the lead due to ‘throbbing’ pain
In a surprising turn of events, British cyclist Arabella Blackburn experienced an unprecedented incident during the Tour of Britain Women's race. On the 158.9km inaugural stage, which commenced and concluded in Cockermouth, Cumbria, the 18-year-old found herself in the breakaway group alongside fellow rider Audrey de Keersmaeker from Picnic PostNL.
However, Blackburn's promising performance came to a halt when she was stung by a wasp, causing her to drop back to the main peloton. The intense pain left Blackburn describing the sting as "quite unpleasant," with the insect leaving a throbbing sensation that persisted throughout the race. Despite this setback, Blackburn managed to finish the grueling 96th place, 12 minutes behind the race winner, Lorena Wiebes.
The incident marked Blackburn's first time being stung by a wasp, making it a unique moment in her career. The young cyclist, who turns 19 in December, revealed that she had only previously encountered a wasp sting once before and that this was the most painful experience she had ever faced. Blackburn, known for her talent and potential, expressed her desire to participate in more breakaways in the remaining stages of the race, hoping to prove herself alongside the peloton.
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