Becoming part of cycling’s elite is a path in which many fall by the wayside and only a select few manage to sign contracts with World Tour squads. Being one more in the international peloton costs blood and sweat, and for this reason it is surprising what has happened to Antonio Tiberi, a Trek Segafredo cyclist, who has put his professional career in jeopardy due to a sovereign stupidity.
Last June, the 21-year-old Italian cyclist had no better idea than to test an air rifle from the window of his apartment in San Marino. The action ended the life of a cat, which was also the pet of the country’s Minister of Tourism, a fact that helped what happened to go viral.
Months later and thanks to the randomness of the internet, the story has returned to the media spotlight and with the season started the controversy has hit Tiberi hard. The Trek have been quick to cover their backs by pointing fingers at their rider and claiming that what happened violated the team’s code of conduct. And they have taken action.
In addition to the 4,000 fine that the country’s authorities have imposed on him, Trek has wanted to go one step further and has suspended the cyclist for 20 days, both competitively and when it comes to receiving salary.
Tiberi had no choice but to bow his head, apologize and wait for the storm to pass. The Italian already communicated on Twitter his regret, fully abiding by the suspension imposed by his team, since he knows full well that what happened could have cost him his contract as a professional.
Trek Segafredo has been really benevolent to their young rider, having reason enough to cut him off with immediate effect. It seems that life has wanted to offer a second chance to Tiberi, who with a whole career ahead of him will have to row a lot to minimize a stamp that will accompany him from now on with all the reason in the world. How easy it is to stain the work of a lifetime and the surreal case of Antonio Tiberi shows it to us.
