Joe Barr was subjected to an obnoxious and frightening experience while out cycling in Donegal (Photo: BarrUltra)
Just a few weeks after being in the headlines for his record-breaking ride down Route 66 in the US, Irish endurance legend, and former pro rider, Joe Barr (67) is back in the news. This time for the wrong reasons.
He was attacked today, Saturday, while out training in Donegal, where he was targeted by a group of men in a passing car, as they hung out the windows laughing.
A bucket of liquid was thrown over him as he was out on the bike on his own, leaving him stunned and initially very concerned about what the liquid was.
Thankfully, he believes it was water, though the obnoxious incident left him shaken by the side of the main Letterkenny to Lifford road at about 2:30pm today.
"I've been riding these roads for over 50 years, and I've watched that second group grow. I used to be able to proudly say that Irish roads were safe. I can't say that anymore," Barr said in a statement on his social media accounts.
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"I'd genuinely rather be chased by wild dogs in New Mexico. At least they're just being wild dogs."
The statement added the car was driven from behind him and, as it passed, the bucket of liquid was thrown out, all over him, by one of the occupants.
"The shock of it was enough to make him think he'd been hit," the statement on BarrUltra added.
"Thankfully, it was only water. But in that split second, Joe had no way of knowing that. He thought it could have been bleach, beer or urine.
"That's the reality many cyclists now face. Thankfully, he kept the bike upright. Thankfully, the car didn't hit him as it accelerated away, with lads hanging out of the windows laughing."
Barr managed to stop safely and woman who was driving on the road at the time, and witnessed the incident, pulled him and helped Barr.
We wish Joe well.
