A teenage cyclist described as a “rising star” was hit and killed by a vehicle during a ride in Colorado just weeks before he was due to compete in the World Championships.
Magnus White, 17, was cycling close to his home in Boulder, Colorado, when he was fatally injured after being hit by a car, according to USA Cycling, who said they had received the sad news on 30 July – two weeks before leaving for Glasgow, Scotland, to compete in the Junior Men’s Mountain Bike Cross-Country World Championships.
“White fell in love with cycling at an early age through Boulder Junior Cycling. He was a rising star in the off-road cycling scene and his passion for cycling was evident through his racing and camaraderie with his teammates and local community,” USA Cycling said in a post on Instagram, in which they also sent condolences to the teenager’s family.
“He won the 2021 Junior 17-18 Cyclocross National Championships, then went on to compete with the USA Cycling National Team for a full season of European Cyclocross racing and closed out the year at the 2022 UCI Cyclocross World Championship in Fayetteville, Arkansas.
“He proudly represented the U.S. and the Boulder community at another Cyclocross World Championships in January of 2023 in Hoogerheide. The summer of 2023 marked a new chapter for White, where he earned a spot on the Mountain Bike World Championships team.”
White was rushed to hospital following the accident, which saw a 23-year-old driver hit the cyclist from behind after driving into the shoulder from the right lane of Colorado State Highway 119, The New York Post reported, citing highway patrol.
However, he died from his injuries after being taken to a nearby hospital.
A GoFundMe page for the youngster said: “Magnus’s greatest joy in life was cycling after playing flag football when he was younger. He was also an accomplished skier.
“Magnus leaves behind his parents Jill and Michael and his brother Eero and countless friends worldwide,” the page added.
