The cyclist killed by a vehicle on Cypress Mountain on Christmas Day has been identified as a 46-year-old Vancouver man remembered for his passion for riding and focus on safety.
Friends of the family say Ivan Young had climbed Cypress Bowl Road hundreds of times before, calling it his “favourite ride” in a statement sent to Global News Saturday.
In 2018 alone, they said, Young climbed the mountain over 100 times.
“Ivan Young was an amazing, experienced and safe cyclist,” the statement reads. “He was always ready to help fix a flat and was always looking out for his fellow riders.
“All in the riding community have lost a friend and an ambassador for the sport. Our thoughts and prayers are with Ivan’s wife and children, and his extended family at this time of grief.”
In the past three years, friends said Young averaged over 22,000 kilometres of cycling annually.
Young was also described as a “gifted pianist, an active member of his church, a great community member and citizen who was always willing to help.”
Speaking with Global News Friday, Mark Ellis, who was a member of the Le Peloton Cycling Club with Young, said his friend left behind two children, both teenagers.
He said Young was always “extremely careful” and mindful of sharing the road with vehicles when he rode.
“This is the last guy you’d expect this to happen to,” Ellis said. “He knew there were always crazy drivers on that road, and he paid attention.
“It just shows you never know when something like this can happen.”
West Vancouver police said Young was struck by a vehicle around 1 p.m. north of the lookout on Cypress Bowl Road.
The occupants of the vehicle stayed at the scene and co-operated with police as they investigated the “very serious” incident.
Police have not shared the exact circumstances of the collision.
Ellis said Young regularly reported dangerous drivers on Cypress Bowl Road, and that he and others have expressed safety concerns about the road itself.
“They really need to look at a bike lane or shoulder along the entire road, and cracking down on dangerous driving,” Ellis said.
“In the summer, it’s not as bad when the ski hill is closed. But once the ski season starts and there’s more traffic, it gets really dangerous. Plenty of people zip around those corners like crazy.”
Ellis said he wasn’t aware of any efforts to take those safety concerns to the District of West Vancouver or West Vancouver police directly.
West Vancouver Police have responded to crashes on the road at least once a year, according to police media release archives.
Most recently, two people were sent to hospital in critical condition after a collision between a motorcycle and another vehicle near Chippendale Road.
In 2017, a cyclist landed in hospital after a motorcyclist lost control just past the lookout and ditched the vehicle, sending it careening into the cyclist.
Global News has reached out to the district and the police department for further comment.
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