04-06-2008 23:58:28

This dramatic photograph shows a car ploughing into cyclists in a race along a highway near the US-Mexico border.

One rider was killed and 10 others injured in the incident. The 28-year-old driver was apparently drunk and fell asleep when he crashed into the cyclists, said a police investigator, Jose Alfredo Rodriguez.

Juan Campos, who said he was a US citizen living in Brownsville, has been charged with killing Alejandro Alvarez, 37, of Monterrey.

Authorities said the accident happened just 15 minutes and 11 kilometres into the 34-kilometre race - billed as a family outing - on Monday morning along a highway between Playa Bagdad and Matamoros. The accident is similar to one involving the Australian women's cycling team in Germany in July 2005. Amy Gillett, 29, was killed when an out-of-control car travelling at 100 kmh or more ploughed into her and five teammates during an early morning training run through Zeulenroda, in the country's east.

The accident left Louise Yaxley and Alexis Rhodes in a critical condition, nearly took the leg of Katie Brown and seriously injured Lorian Graham and Kate Nichols.