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Broken bike (CC licensed image by garryknight, www.flickr.com)

Rider drowns during international mountain bike race in Sri Lanka

Rumble In The Jungle five-day race cancelled after organisers learnt of competitor's death...
by Simon_MacMichael
Thu, Jun 14, 2018 11:45
1

A man taking part in a mountain bike race in Sri Lanka drowned when he fell into a river during the event.

The rider, who has not been named and came from Nepal, fell into the Mahaweli river at Kuda Oya, some 230 kilometres south east of the country’s capital, Colombo, reports AFP.

Sri Lankan Airlines, which organised the five-day event called Rumble In The Jungle, cancelled the race upon learning of the rider’s death, which happened on Wednesday.

They said his team had been leading the race at the time.

A police spokesman said: "We have recovered the body from a nearby reservoir."

According to AFP, some 39 riders were taking part in the race, mainly from outside Sri Lanka, and including entrants from the UK.

Sri Lanka
Simon MacMichael

Simon has been news editor at road.cc since 2009, reporting on 10 editions and counting of pro cycling’s biggest races such as the Tour de France, stories on issues including infrastructure and campaigning, and interviewing some of the biggest names in cycling. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, his background has proved invaluable in reporting on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, and the bike industry. He splits his time between London and Cambridge, and loves taking his miniature schnauzer Elodie on adventures in the basket of her Elephant Bike.

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