By: Kaydence Yung

Magnus White, a rising star in American Cycling, died on Saturday, after a driver hit him while he was cycling on the shoulder of a highway in his hometown of Boulder, Colorado. He had been preparing to head to Glasgow, Scotland to compete in the Junior Men’s Mountain Bike Cross-Country World Championships next week.

He was a member of the USA Cycling Junior Men’s National Team and won the 2021 USA cyclocross Junior Men’s National Championship. He represented the US in his first cyclocross world championship last year in Fayetteville, Ark., and competed in his second earlier this year in the Netherlands. “Our hearts are heavy as we mourn the tragic loss of our beloved son, Magnus White,” his parents Michael and Jill White said in a statement to on Monday. “Magnus was dedicated to his family and friends and loved to surround them with laughter. He had an amazing smile that always lit up the room, bringing joy to those around him,” they added.

White’s passion for cycling started at the age of two on a strider bike, his parents recalled, and he began racing when he was 8 years old. He grew up in Boulder and trained on the Boulder Junior Cycling Team. He was also an avid skier and a committed student, who wanted to attend business school, according to his website. He planned to graduate from high school a semester early so he could focus on international competition in the spring of 2024. The fundraiser’s organizer for a GoFundMe to support his family, Christine Lipson, said that “Magnus was taken from us while doing what he loves most, riding his bike.” While White was riding on the Shoulder of highway 119, which is also known as the Diagonal, in Boulder on a Saturday afternoon, he was hit by a 23-year-old woman driving a Toyota Matrix. After crossing from right to diagonal, the driver struck White from behind before crashing into a fence. He was transported to the hospital and pronounced dead, the driver was uninjured.

White was a rising star in off-road cycling, according to USA Cycling. His passion for cycling wasn’t just evident in his racing but also in his camaraderie with teammates. He was a leader in the sport, with a highly competitive spirit and a desire to win. He was known for pushing himself and his teammates to be their best. He was a beloved presence in the cycling community.