Magnus White dies aged 17: ‘Rising star’ of American cycling dies after being hit from behind by a car driven by a 23-year-old woman during a training ride near his home in Colorado

Seventeen-year-old American cyclist Magnus White, who was scheduled to compete in the upcoming world championships in Scotland, was killed Saturday after being hit by a vehicle during a training ride near his home in Boulder, Colorado.

White was hit from behind by a 23-year-old woman who was behind the wheel of a Toyota Matrix just after 12:30 p.m. Saturday afternoon.

The impact forced White and his bike off the road and into a fence where his bike came to rest. Colorado State Patrol says speed and alcohol were not factors in the crash.

USA Cycling announced White’s passing in a statement on Sunday.

“He was a rising star in the off-road cycling world and his passion for cycling was evident in his racing and camaraderie with his teammates and the local community,” the agency said in a statement. “We ride for Magnus.”

“We extend our sincere condolences to the White family, his teammates, friends and the Boulder community at this incredibly difficult time.”

Magnus is survived by his parents Jill and Michael and his brother Eero

White had shown tremendous promise as a multi-discipline athlete who earned a spot on the U.S. national team

White can be seen on the podium at the 2022 UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships

White was a rising multi-discipline star, winning the 2021 Junior 17-18 Cyclocross National Championships and earning a spot on the U.S. National Team what he called a “crucial moment” as it opened up opportunities for him to race in Europe.

He then competed on the USA Cycling National Team for a full season of European Cyclocross racing, finishing the year at the 2022 UCI Cyclocross World Championship in Arkansas.

He was chosen to represent the US again this year at the Cyclocross World Championships in the Netherlands and this summer he earned a spot on the Mountain Bike World Championships team.

White started cycling and mountain biking this season.

He was focused on his final preparations before heading to Glasgow in Scotland on August 10 to compete in the Junior Men’s Mountain Bike Cross-Country World Championships.

White was on one of his last training rides when the accident happened weeks before he was due to start his senior year of high school.

White was a rising multi-discipline star, winning the Junior 17-18 Cyclocross National Championships in 2021 and earning a place on the U.S. national team which he called a “critical moment” as it opened up opportunities for him to race in Europe.

White was focused on his final preparations before heading to Glasgow in Scotland on August 10 to compete in the Junior Men’s Mountain Bike Cross-Country World Championships.

USA Cycling issued a statement on Sunday announcing the heartbreaking news of his passing days before he was due to compete in Scotland

White was on one of his last training rides when the accident happened weeks before he was due to start his senior year of high school

White started racing at the national level when he was 10 and credited his father with introducing him to the sport.

“Growing up my dad really got me into cycling because he raced on the road, that’s when I discovered my local team (Boulder Junior Cycling), which has some really great coaches that got me where I am today,” said White in his profile on the USA Cycling website.

“In the summer of 2023, I will begin a new and exciting chapter of my cycling career: debuting on the international mountain bike circuit, proudly wearing the Team USA jersey,” he wrote.

He is survived by his parents, Michael and Jill, and his brother, Eero. a GoFundMe page was set up to help the family.