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Car 'veers into' 40 cyclists on training ride February 03 2002 at 09:10PM........ Sixteen cyclists were injured on Saturday when a car allegedly swerved into them on Marine Drive opposite Milnerton Golf Course. Police spokesperson Wicus Holtzhausen said the driver later handed himself over to the Milnerton police. A group of 80 cyclists from the City Cycle Lab Club were on their regular Saturday morning club ride. They split into groups on the ride. Club rider Gary Marescia said the lead pack of 40 cyclists were travelling at about 30km/h two abreast of each other within the yellow line. He said a yellow-and-white Citi Golf moved halfway past them and then veered into them. "It was the most horrific thing I've ever experienced. "I just heard a loud noise as the car hit the rider behind me. Before I had time to look around I felt the car's fender hit my rear wheel and frame," Marescia said. "It hit my right leg and I was flung to my left into another rider and then tumbled to the ground. "While going down I saw the vehicle strike the rider in front of me, whose rear wheel shattered on impact. The rider was catapulted about three metres into the air. "At that point I thought that's two dead - how many more are going to die? "After taking out four of us the first time, the driver went back into his lane and then veered into us again. "Looking up, I saw a rider hanging onto the bonnet to prevent himself from going under the car and one rider rolling in front of it. "The car stopped. The driver briefly looked behind him and sped off, leaving behind his front numberplate, which fell off during the chaos. "It looked like a war zone. Bruised bodies and mangled bikes were lying left, right and centre." One of those injured was Julius Oosthuizen. When the Cape Times visited him at his Bellville home on Sunday, he was only hours from tying the knot with his fiancee, Zoja Noveljic. He said he was amazed that he had escaped with only a dislocated ring finger and bruises, and "it's a miracle nobody was killed". Marescia said they were told their second group of 20 riders, about two kilometres behind them, had encountered the same car earlier. "He moved toward them but luckily they were protected by a back-up vehicle. Its driver hooted and flashed lights at the driver of the Golf, which scared him off," Marescia said. He estimated the damage at close to R200 000 as 12 bikes needed repairs and five had to be written off. Injuries included a broken wrist and ribs, slight concussions and bruising. One of the injured was an American, Phil Brown, who had come to Cape Town for 10 days of cycling. Marescia said the incident would not harm Cape Town's reputation as an international cycling destination. Investigating officer Lewis Weston said a 25-year-old Bloubergstrand man handed himself over to police on Saturday afternoon. He is to appear in the Cape Town magistrate's court on Monday on charges of reckless or negligent driving.