Rider 'nearly hit' by car on day one of Tour of Britain Women

Australian rider Maeve Plouffe claimed she narrowly avoided being struck by a car during the opening stage of the Tour Of Britain Women. The incident occurred on a roundabout as Plouffe, who competes for British continental team O Shea Red Chilli Bikes, was attempting to regain contact with the main group of riders following a puncture on Wednesday.

Plouffe posted on Instagram, stating that while the race convoy was still visible and she was less than two minutes behind, multiple cars from the general public approached her from various directions, including one that almost collided with her on the roundabout.

The safety of riders was a concern for Plouffe, who mentioned the recent tragic event in the cycling community. She paid tribute to 19-year-old British rider Fin Tarling, who was killed in a high-speed collision with a van during the eighth stage of the Volta a Portugal. Plouffe's post comes in the wake of Tarling's death, which occurred just a few days before the Tour of Britain Women began.

Tarling was the younger brother of Netcompany Inoes rider Josh Tarling, who was confirmed to be part of the team's lineup for the Vuelta a Espana three-week Grand Tour, set to start on Saturday.

British Cycling Ventures, the commercial arm of British Cycling responsible for organizing the Tour of Britain Women, acknowledged Plouffe's concerns and assured that rider safety is of utmost priority in their planning and operations. The organization is reviewing the incident with O Shea Red Chilli Bikes and the seriousness of Plouffe's comments.

They also sought to reassure riders, teams, and fans of the sport amid the current challenging period for the cycling community, emphasizing the gravity with which they are addressing these concerns.