Will Olson died after an accident in Crested Butte, Colorado. Photo: Bonnie McDonald/Velo News
During the Crested Butte leg of the Enduro World Series, a competitor named Will Olson crashed his bike and died. The 40-year-old Colorado native crashed close to the bottom of the course in Colorado. While the coroner’s report hasn’t been released yet, it looks as though Olson died from blunt force trauma to the chest.
“We’re presuming that maybe he clipped a pedal…. he was probably going about 20 to 25 mph,” said Brandon Ontiveros, the race organizer. “The section where he crashed had a chicane, around some trees. A rider came upon him laying face down. There was no indication of head injury, and no real damage to his bike.”
Two riders began CPR on him until paramedics arrived. He was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident.
Olson wasn’t a professional, but was a very experienced amateur. He was competing in the over-30 Vet Expert category when he died. He had ridden in Crested Butte numerous times, and was expected to place well in the event. “He had raced our events before, he had ridden in Crested Butte, and he was one of the riders expected to win that category,” Ontiveros said. “He was very skilled… I think this was just a freak accident.”
Our deepest condolences to Olson’s family and friends.
