Vietnam’s national road cycling team suffered a devastating loss when a fire destroyed all 30 specialized racing bikes during transportation to the 2025 Asian Road Cycling Championships in Thailand. The incident occurred en route from Bangkok to Phitsanulok, the competition venue, just days before the event's start.

A massive setback for Vietnam’s cycling team

On February 5, the Vietnamese cycling team arrived in Bangkok before boarding a bus organized by the event's host to travel to Phitsanulok, a city in northern Thailand. Their racing bicycles, spare wheels, helmets, and shoes were transported separately by a logistics truck arranged by the organizers.

However, while en route, the truck caught fire, completely incinerating all of Vietnam’s racing equipment. The total financial loss is estimated to be billions of Vietnamese dong (hundreds of thousands of dollars).

The team’s specialized time-trial bikes, including those used by Nguyen Tuan Vu and Nguyen Thi Thu Mai, were among the most expensive, valued at over $10,000 each. Other bikes, such as those used by Vietnam’s star cyclist Nguyen Thi That, were worth more than $6,000 each.

Coach Mai Cong Hieu expressed his devastation: "We arrived at the hotel at 8 PM and were informed that all of our bikes and racing gear had burned down. The damage is massive, and we are still trying to assess the full extent of our losses."

As of now, the cause of the fire remains unknown, and Thai authorities have not yet provided an official explanation.

Emergency response: Thai organizers provide temporary replacements

During an emergency meeting on February 6, the Thai organizing committee confirmed that they had secured seven time-trial bikes and helmets for Vietnam’s riders. Additional efforts are underway to supply shoes and pedals before the competition begins.

The Vietnamese delegation, led by Nguyen Ngoc Vu, includes two coaches (Mai Cong Hieu and Huynh Van Chanh) and seven elite cyclists, including defending champion Nguyen Thi That. Several promising young cyclists were also part of the team, preparing for both the U23 and junior events.

The 2025 Asian Road Cycling Championships, running from February 7 to 16, will feature nearly 500 elite riders from across Asia, including professional national teams, U23 riders, U18 juniors, and Master-class veteran cyclists.

At the 2023 edition of the championship, Nguyen Thi That won the gold medal in the road race, securing a direct qualification for the 2024 Olympics. Last year, she also took home the silver medal in a fiercely contested event.

Despite the catastrophic loss of equipment, Vietnam’s team remains determined to compete and uphold its strong reputation in Asian cycling.

After the devastating fire, the Thai organizers have confirmed they will provide compensation.

Representatives from the Vietnam Cycling Federation and the Asian Cycling Confederation will meet with Thai officials to discuss the details of reimbursement.

Emergency response and temporary replacements

According to Hoang Quoc Vinh, head of High-Performance Sports Department I at the General Department of Sports and Physical Training, the incident was immediately addressed upon receiving the news.

Nguyen Ngoc Vu, Secretary General of the Vietnam Cycling and Motor Sports Federation, was instructed to work closely with the organizing committee (OC) in Thailand to ensure the athletes could continue competing as scheduled.

Following a meeting on February 6, the Thai organizers confirmed they had secured seven time-trial bicycles and helmets for the Vietnamese athletes. Efforts are also underway to provide suitable shoes and pedals.

Vietnam’s cyclists will compete in time-trial events from February 7 to 11, followed by road races. The Vietnam Cycling Federation is working to transport replacement road bikes from Vietnam, expected to arrive on February 10 in time for the competitions.

Compensation discussions underway

Nguyen Ngoc Vu, representing the Vietnam Cycling Federation, confirmed that discussions have begun regarding compensation for the lost equipment.

"The Thai organizers contacted us to assess the damage and requested details on the number and specifications of helmets and shoes for our athletes. Regarding the bicycles, they have offered to loan bikes to our team. Additionally, members of the Asian Cycling Confederation, currently in Thailand, have pledged their support in providing bikes for Vietnamese athletes to compete," Vu said.

The fire resulted in the total destruction of Vietnam’s racing bicycles, helmets, shoes, and other competition gear, valued at billions of Vietnamese dong (hundreds of thousands of dollars).

Unfortunately, none of the bicycles were insured, as they were only covered under manufacturers' warranties. This means that, under normal circumstances, there would be no compensation for the damages.

Thien Binh - Dai Nam