By: Alan Chen
17 year old Magnus White, rising star of cycling, died when he was hit by a car on a highway in his hometown of Boulder, Colo. He was hit when he was riding on the shoulder of highway 19.
He had been preparing to go to Glasgow, Scotland to compete in the Junior Men’s Mountain Bike Cross Country World Championships. He was a member of USA Cycling’s junior men’s national team. He won the 2021 USA cyclocross junior men’s national championship.He also represented the US for the first time in a cyclocross world championship in Fayetteville, Ark. His second time representing the US was in the Netherlands. USA cycling says cyclocross is a mix of road cycling, mountain biking, and steeplechase.
White’s parents, Jill and Michael White said, “Our hearts are heavy as we mourn the tragic loss of our beloved son, Magnus White. Magnus was dedicated to his friends and family and loved to surround them with laughter. He had an amazing smile that always lit up the room, bringing joy to those around him.”
His passion for cycling started when he was 2 years old, when he rode on a strider bike, and he began racing when he was 8 years old.
He grew up in Boulder and also did the Boulder Junior Cycling. White had a brother named Eero. A family friend set up a go fund me to support Magnus’s family.
Christine Lipston, the fundraiser’s organizer said, “Magnus was taken from us while doing what he loved most, riding his bike.”
Lipston’s son was a close friend and teammate to Magnus. White was riding on the shoulder of highway 119 called the Diagonal in Boulder when he was hit by a 23 year old woman driving in a Toyota Matrix.
The driver turned from the right hand lane into the shoulder and hit White before crashing into a fence. White was transferred to a hospital and was found dead. The driver was not injured.
Drugs, alcohol, and excessive speed are not suspected to be the reason of White’s death.
USA cycling said in a statement, “His passion for cycling was evident through his racing and camadrie with his teammates and his local community. We offer our heartfelt condolences to the White family, his teammates, friends, and the Boulder community during this incredibly difficult time. We ride for Magnus.”