It Was a 'Stupidly Hard Ride.' That Was Before the Bull

3 cyclists attacked on course Saturday in California
By Kate Seamons,  Newser Staff
Posted Feb 16, 2022 12:56 PM CST

"The world famous Bianchi Rock Cobbler is a stupidly hard ride bordering on a race ... conceived by drunken madmen," explains the website for the ride. But while those "drunken madmen" designed a roughly 80-mile California off-road course with as much as 6,500 feet of elevation gain, they likely didn't expect bull attacks to be a feature. Except that's what happened during the Rock Cobbler race in Bakersfield Saturday. FOX26 reports three riders were attacked by the bull, and it speaks with one of them. Tony Inderbitzin says that as he approached the animal, he thought it was a cow—a fairly common sight in the area. Inderbitzin realized his mistake at the last moment.

"He turned, squared up, and I had maybe a second to brace myself or do anything," he says of the bull. Video shows what transpired. (See a different video here.) "As I was on my hands and knees trying to get back up, he circled around and came up with his head underneath my head and chest and flicked me up in the air." He tells the station every part of his body, with the exception of his head and one arm, hurt. Rock Cobbler founder Sam Ames said in a statement that all three riders are safe, and two of them managed to finish the ride (Inderbitzin didn't). Cycling News reports Peter Stetina, who was the first to finish the course in a time of 4:49:13, declared it the "kookiest bike race I've ever done." (More animal attack stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X