Rio de Janeiro, Aug 17 (IANS): A video production group, hired by the Rio de Janeiro City Hall to cover the Olympic road cycling test event, has been robbed by armed robbers during the competition.

According to Brazilian media reports, the robbery occurred just minutes before the start of the competition on Sunday. The five photographers and cameramen of this group were positioned in a tunnel to shoot the cyclists, but they were approached by two armed men on a motorbike and their camera and cell phones were robbed. As none of the journalists resisted during the robbery, no one got injured, reports Xinhua.

The International Road Cycling Challenge is one of 45 test events being held as Rio prepares for the first Olympics in South America. The event also confronted a planned anti-government protest on Sunday, forcing Rio 2016 organisers to change the starting time and route.

Cyclists began the event at Copacabana beach an hour earlier than the originally scheduled time. Instead of finishing in Copacabana, the event ended at Sao Conrado beach, further southwest.

Street crime in Rio has always been a big issue. Officials say they will deploy some 85,000 security personnel, double the number used at the London 2012 Games, to guarantee the security of the Olympics.