A 70-year-old cyclist who is fighting for his life after a "random" stabbing attack is a lifelong Portland resident who was on his way to the local RSL, police say.
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A young woman allegedly stabbed the man in a dispute over a mobile phone in a western Victorian town.
Portland Crime Investigation Unit Detective Sergeant Jason von Tunk said both the man and the woman were Portland locals.
"He was on his way to the RSL riding his [push] bike," Detective Sergeant von Tunk said.
"He has no relationship with the accused. It was a random attack."
The man was riding along Cape Nelson Road in Portland at 9pm on Friday when he was approached by the 21-year-old.
She asked to use his mobile phone and when the man refused police say she allegedly stabbed him repeatedly.
The victim staggered to a nearby home to raise the alarm. The man was stabbed in the upper body and was taken in a critical condition first to Portland Hospital but then flown to The Alfred hospital in Melbourne.
A spokeswoman for The Alfred said the man's condition was remained critical but stable.
A man is in a critical condition after he was stabbed while out riding his bike in Portland. https://t.co/5Xfw4VXJcV pic.twitter.com/k3xf0t76iQ— 7 News Melbourne (@7NewsMelbourne) April 23, 2016
The Portland woman was arrested by detectives early on Saturday morning. She will appear in the Warrnambool Magistrates Court on Tuesday.
Cape Nelson Road is used frequently used by cyclists as it has rolling hills and is a 25 kilometres round trip between Portland and the Cape Nelson lighthouse.
