WorldTour cyclist’s bike confiscated in altercation with traffic officer

Costa Rican cyclist Andrey Amador, who finished eighth at the 2016 Giro d’Italia, was riding along Highway 27 near Escazú in his home country on Tuesday when he was pulled over by a traffic officer. What ensued was an altercation which resulted in Amador’s bike getting confiscated, an unexpected turn of events for a WorldTour pro who makes his living pedalling his bike.

The Movistar rider was stopped by the officer for illegally riding on the highway where bikes are prohibited. Camera footage released by the Costa Rican traffic police show Amador riding across a lane as the officer merges onto the highway.

The officer then pulls up aside Amador and tells him to pull over. According to the Tico Times, Amador responds that he wanted to stop up ahead where there was a bus stop where they would have more space and be better protected from the traffic.

The officer responded, “Don’t make this any harder” and then cuts Amador off in order to force him to stop. After dismounting from the motorbike, the officer shoves Amador telling him to calm down.

https://youtu.be/Ofnvi3SfWNY

Amador’s bike was then turned over whcih angered Amador saying that he would need to pay for any damages he caused. Amador, a well known WorldTour rider, then asked, “Do you know who I am?”

“I don’t care,” responds the cop.

Me acaban de quitar la bici es lo que tenemos por salir a entrenar … pic.twitter.com/5vlEFIeHtY

— Andrey Amador (@Andrey_Amador) December 13, 2016

Amador later posted his own video of the incident. As the confrontation continues, the video shows a second cyclist gets involved. The officer tells the cyclist wearing a batman kit, “I don’t understand his attitude.”

With Amador responding, “He almost threw me off the road.”

Ahora alguien que me preste una bici para poder seguir entrenando !!!. ?

— Andrey Amador (@Andrey_Amador) December 13, 2016

Before retrieving his bike from the transit police on Tuesday afternoon, Amador Tweeted out asking if someone would lend him a bike. He would later pay a ₡50,000 fine (about US$100) to get his bike back.

Amador posted a video later in the day on Youtube in which he apologized admitting he was in error since he knew it was a traffic violation to ride on the highway. He said he was more upset in the aggressive manner the traffic officer conducted himself.

“After pushing and cutting me off with his motorcycle, he put himself at risk and he put me instead of just stopping off at a safer spot on the highway,” Amador explained in the video. “That’s why I was so angry.”