Darwin Atapuma sustains cuts to hand and wrist after being attacked by bandits in Colombia

BMC Racing rider Darwin Atapuma is recovering after being attacked by two bandits during a training ride in his native Colombia on Tuesday.

The 26-year-old climber sustained cuts to his left hand and wrist as he struggled with the men, one of whom carried a knife, after they demanded he handed over his bike.

Atapuma, a stage winner at the Tour of Poland and Giro del Trentino, now has a protective cast on his arm and will ride indoors for the next ten days. His provisional 2015 race calendar will not be affected and he will start his season as planned at next month’s Tour Mediterraneen in France.

Atapuma said: “It was a stressful event and I was lucky the police were able to get the two guys.”

BMC Racing’s chief medical officer, Dr Max Testa, added: “Darwin is in good spirits but a little disappointed because the training was going well.”