08/03/2007 (SA) Yet more tourists attacked 09-03-2007

AN overseas cyclist who came to SA to participate in the Argus Cycle Tour, was almost killed when a rock was hurled at him on the third day of his very first visit to the country.
Peter Mayr believes his helmet had saved him from serious injury.
The incident happened on Wednesday, February 28 at about 14:00 while he was cycling towards Strand on Baden Powell Road (R310) with his girlfriend, Sabina Gandini.
The couple had arrived in SA on the Monday as part of an overseas tour group of 29 cyclists headed up by German citizen, Peter Rente, who for the past seven years has been organising the cycle tour with Vlok Pieterse of Strand.
The couple spent the first two days in Cape Town without incident and on Wednesday cycled to Strand where they were to spend the rest of their stay, taking the approved coastal route.
"We were cycling at about 13 km/h, when I saw two guys ahead of me near some trees," Peter told DistrictMail at the couple's room at the Ocean View Hotel. "I saw one of the men pick up a rock. He was only about a metre away when he hurled it straight at me."
The rock struck him on the side of his head, his helmet taking the impact, but Peter managed to cycle on. Sabina had to fend off the second man, who tried to pull her off her bicycle. She managed to get away.
"We were told the route was safe," Peter said. They did not report the incident to the police. "We are strangers in the country, we did not know what to do," says Peter.
They still intend to compete in the Argus race on Sunday. But the couple said on Monday, they don't intend coming back for a second visit to SA or another cycle tour.
A second, unrelated attack on a cyclist was reported on Sunday on the R310. Final year Matie student Emile du Plessis (23) was pushed off his bicycle by two men who stabbed him in the chest, robbed him and ran away. Emile's right lung had collapsed and he was taken to HH Hospital where an operation was performed on him.
The police at Harare, Khayelitsha, are investigating the incident.