Police foil ‘Looney Tunes’-style plot to sabotage Vuelta a España

Spanish police have reportedly foiled a plot to sabotage Stage 3 of this year’s La Vuelta a España. Four people were arrested in an alleged plot to pour oil across the road, presumably as riders or team cars passed by.

Police discovered two barrels of oil filled with a fluid resembling motor oil. The barrels were connected to pipes which led to a bridge passing over the planned route, according to the BBC.

If that all sounds a little too familiar, it’s because it’s almost exactly the plot of at least one Looney Tunes segment (cued up below), if not many. The co-conspirators probably should have watched the sketch to the end before dialing up Wile E. Coyote for advice, though, as their plan worked out about as well as any of his did.

Thankfully, Spanish police foiled the plot, arresting the quarter on Sunday before riders came along during Monday’s stage. While the plot was cartoonish, or cartoon-inspired, it could have had serious consequences if it had been carried out.

Instead, Remco Evenepoel raced by on his way to the summit finish, with nary a “beep beep,” to win Stage three and move into the leader’s jersey early in the Spanish Grand Tour.