http://www.sbs.com.au/cyclingcentral/article/2016/03/27/dimension-datas-mekseb-debesay-rescued-fan-e3-harelbeke
27 MAR 2016 - 10:04AM
Dimension Data's Mekseb Debesay rescued by fan at E3 Harelbeke
Eritrea's Mekseb Debesay had a WorldTour cycling debut to remember after he
got lost and had to be rescued by a fan.
By
AAP
*Source: *
AAP
27 MAR 2016 - 9:41 AM UPDATED 27 MAR 2016 - 10:04 AM
Eritrea's Mekseb Debesay will not forget his first WorldTour cycling race
after getting lost on Belgium's back roads and being rescued by a good
Samaritan who offered him food and a shower.
Debesay, who rides for African-based Dimension Data, got lost while riding
the 206km E3 Harelbeke, the first cobblestone classic of the year, finally
arriving back at the team hotel 15 hours after setting out and covering
240km.
"It's an amazing story," team sports director Pierre Heynderickx was quoted
in Het Nieuwsblad newspaper.
"He fell behind a small group that decided to take back roads to Harelbeke
around 20 kilometres from the finish.
"Debesay was afraid of becoming lost and decided to follow the course
arrows to get to the finish. Unfortunately, he wandered from the correct
path."
When Debesay, 24, looked down at his bicycle computer and saw 206km he
realised he was in trouble and asked a member of the public how to get to
the finish.
"That man suggested that they should go together to his home in Lierde,"
Heynderickx, who called the police to find out if there had been any news
of Debesay, added.
"He let him take a shower, gave him fresh clothes and offered food to our
hungry rider...
"No one had any idea where he was. Then, suddenly, we received a phone
call."
The race was won by Team Sky's Michal Kwiatkowski.
Received on Mon Mar 28 2016 - 10:01:03 EDT