Footage taken by a spectator shows a small group of riders passing through a right-hand bend. Just moments later, an Astana team car following the group of riders is seen driving straight toward Phillip Sullivan, who was standing on a median in the road to direct traffic.
Sullivan quickly scrambled out of the way — luckily, because the car did indeed smash through the bollards on the median.
— Nathan Currie (@nathlukecurrie) May 6, 2018
"I am still thinking how close it was, but luckily I do not have a scratch," 35-year-old Sullivan told BBC Sport.
— Nathan Currie (@nathlukecurrie) May 6, 2018
On Monday, the Kazakh team issued an apology regarding the near-miss accident.
"We're deeply sorry about the incident with our team car. The sport director that was driving the car contacted the race organizer directly after the race to send out apologies. We're trying to get in touch with the marshal as well. We're sorry and never want this to happen again," the Astana team's statement said, Cycling Weekly reported.
A spokesperson for the race also told BBC Sport that organizers of the race "launched an immediate investigation to determine the facts of exactly what happened."
The Tour de Yorkshire was launched in May 2015 and is promoted by the Amaury Sport Organization. This year, French rider Stephane Rossetto, who is part of French professional racing team Cofidis, won the final stage of the race.
