“Rising star” cyclist Magnus White has died at just 17 years old after he was in an accident while training for the upcoming cycling world championship in Glasgow.
His death was announced by USA Cycling on Sunday, which offered condolences to the White family, his teammates and friends.
The 17-year-old cyclist was struck by a car while riding his bike in Boulder, Colo., where he lived. USA Cycling writes that White was “focused on his final preparations before leaving for Glasgow” to compete in the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships.
He was set to race in the junior men’s mountain bike cross-country event on August 10.
“White fell in love with cycling at an early age through Boulder Junior Cycling,” USA Cycling wrote. “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.”
White was a multidisciplinary cyclist who got his start in cyclocross, an event that combines cross-country running with mountain biking and road cycling. He won the Junior Cyclocross National Championship in 2021 and was selected to join the USA Cycling National team. He represented the U.S. at the 2022 and 2023 Cyclocross World Championships.
“The summer of 2023 marked a new chapter for White, where he earned a spot on the Mountain Bike World Championships team,” USA Cycling wrote.
Tragically, White never got to debut his mountain biking on the international stage.
“We ride for Magnus,” the statement from USA Cycling concludes.
A GoFundMe page in White’s memory has so far raised over US$66,000 to help his family in “moving through this tragic period.”
“Magnus was taken from us while doing what he loved most, riding his bike,” the page reads. “Magnus’s family is strong, but support from their community will go a long way to give them time to grieve.”
The campaign page states that White died on July 29.
“He was to start his senior year in high school in a few weeks,” it reads.
White leaves behind his parents, Jill and Michael, and his brother Eero.
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