American cyclist Magnus White, hailed as a “rising star” of the sport, has died in a training accident in Boulder, Colorado, at the age of 17, USA Cycling announced on Sunday.
The governing body said that White was preparing to compete in the cross-country discipline at the junior Mountain Bike World Championships in Glasgow, Scotland, when he was struck by a vehicle.
“We offer our heartfelt condolences to the White family, his teammates, friends, and the Boulder community during this incredibly difficult time,” USA Cycling said in a statement. “We ride for Magnus.”
White specialized in off-road cycling and competed for the US team at the Cyclocross World Championships in 2022 and 2023. He started racing at a national level at the age of 10, according to USA Cycling.
This year was the first time he had earned a place in the Mountain Bike World Championships team. He was due to compete in Glasgow on August 10.
“White fell in love with cycling at an early age through Boulder Junior Cycling,” the USA Cycling statement added.
“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 is survived by his parents, Jill and Michael, and his brother, Eero. A GoFundMe set up by family friends in his memory surpassed $60,000 on Monday.
Running from August 3 to August 13, the inaugural UCI Cycling World Championships will be hosted in Glasgow and across Scotland.