Mountain Biking Champion Burry Stander no more

Burry Stander (C) of South Africa celebrates after beating Alexis Vuillermoz (L) of France and Thomas Litscher (R) of Switzerland in the men’s U23 Cross Country Olympic race during the 2009 Mountain Bike & World Trials World Championship held at Mt Stromlo on September 4, 2009 in Canberra, Australia

Two-time Mountain bike Olympian, Burry Stander passed away in an accident. He collided with a taxi while he was practising near his home. Burry was the former U19 and U23 World Champion and finished 5th in the London Olympics. He was 25 years of age.

“It is with great sadness and utter shock that Cycling South Africa confirms the tragic death today of our champion mountain bike rider, Burry Stander,” said a statement given by the cycling federation.

This is the second death of a pro biker in the last month. Inaki Lejarreta, a Spanish biker, died on 16th December. He also died while training when he crashed with a car.

Burry Stander was the first ever South African to win the Cape Epic Mountain Bike Stage race.