As if the Tour de France did not have enough problems this week with drug scandals and massive team withdrawals, now they have to worry about terrorists, too? Apparently, during Stage 16 of the race, two bombs went off along the race route in Belagua, Spain, a small town in the northern part of the country. Thankfully, no one was injured, and the race was not affected. The explosive devices were placed under a tree on the bluffs overlooking the road and were detonated before the cyclists ever passed through the area.
ETA (or Euskadi ta Askatasuna, meaning “Basque Homeland and Freedom”), a Basque separatist group, claimed responsibility for the attacks. The group has targeted the Tour before, all in an effort to draw attention to their campaign for an independent Basque homeland in northern Spain and southwestern France. Until last month, ETA had agreed to a cease-fire while conducting peace talks with the Spanish government. Frustration with that process, however, led to a recent cancellation of that cease-fire agreement.
See how much you can learn about the world while watching a bike race?
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