Threat of Terrorism Brings U.S. Cycling Team Home

A United States cycling team has been called back from Spain, and the Central Connecticut State football team has canceled a trip to London next month in the wake of the U.S. bombing of Libya.

The 10-man cycling team was to have participated in the Tour of Spain, which starts Tuesday.

A Spanish television station reported that the team, which was staying at Palma de Mallorca, was told by officials Saturday to return home immediately.

The Central Connecticut team had scheduled an 18-day trip, during which the players would have given clinics.

Coach Buddy Amendola said that after consulting with the State Department, the school decided that an American football team on such a trip would be at too much risk because of its high visibility.

“A football team is like apple pie and hot dogs,” Amendola said. “They (terrorists) would say, ‘Wow, what a target.’ So why take the risk. The timing was just unfortunate.”