Members of the Vietnamese cycling team will have to use temporary bikes provided by the organizers to compete in the 2025 Asian Road Cycling Championships in Thailand after their bikes and equipment were destroyed in a fire.

On Thursday morning, tournament organizers held a meeting with the Vietnamese cycling team regarding the truck fire that severely damaged their equipment. 

Both sides agreed that the Vietnamese team would borrow bikes from the host team and other participating teams for the competition.

The organizers also gathered information about the cyclists’ sizes, helmets, and shoes to provide them with appropriate equipment.

According to the Vietnam Motorcycle and Bicycle Association, Thailand has prepared seven individual time trial bikes and helmets for the Vietnamese team and is working to provide shoes and pedals on Thursday.

Meanwhile, the association is arranging for road bikes to be shipped from Vietnam and arrive in Thailand on February 10.

The issue of compensation for the severe damage to the Vietnamese cycling team’s equipment was also discussed during the meeting. 

Both parties are working to find a resolution on Thursday.

The Vietnamese cycling team, consisting of five female riders, two male riders, and several young athletes, traveled to Thailand on Wednesday to prepare for the 2025 Asian Road Cycling Championships, which will take place from Friday to February 16.

On the way from the airport to the competition venue in Phitsanulok Province, northern Thailand, the team members were transported by shuttle buses, while their bicycles and competition equipment were in a separate truck. 

Unfortunately, this truck was involved in an accident and caught fire, destroying all 30 bikes of the Vietnamese team.

Among the lost bikes were those of individual time trial riders Nguyen Tuan Vu and Nguyen Thi Thu Mai, each valued at more than VND250 million (US$9,902), as well as Nguyen Thi Thu Mai’s bike, worth up to VND150 million ($5,941). 

The total damage is estimated at several billion Vietnamese dong.

The truck that caught fire was also carrying equipment for the Singapore team, but the extent of their losses is unclear.

Although the Vietnamese team has been lent bikes, competing effectively remains a challenge. 

For professional athletes, familiarity with their own bike is crucial, as each cyclist has trained extensively with their equipment. 

Using unfamiliar bikes will make it difficult to perform at their best.

The Vietnamese cycling team will compete in individual time trials from Friday to February 11, followed by road events.

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