Cycling champ Miguel Londono dead aged 26 after horror crash into railings and rocks while out training
CYCLING champion Miguel Londono has died aged 26 after a horror crash into railings and rocks while out training.
The professional cyclist was found dead in the area of Loma de Los Balsos located in the city of Medellin in southern Colombia on Saturday.
Local media report the Colombian sent his father a picture and a message telling him he was going to begin training at nine in the morning moments before suffering the fatal accident.
The local mayor's office in the area claim Londono “violently crashed into a railing and then hit a rock” causing the death after losing control of his bicycle.
Londono's father Ignacio described his son as passionate about sports and spoke of the " absurd accident".
Ignacio said: "My son was a person who liked the bicycle a lot, it was his passion, he was happy, working in a bicycle firm.
"He died in an absurd accident. He was a professional cyclist for a long time and now he was dedicated to cycling, but recreationally.
"Since he was a child he was champion of the national mountain bike cups.
"He worked his way through the youth categories and he was a Pan-American champion with gold medals.
"He always stood out. He was in the Vuelta del Futuro where he suffered a very strong accident and almost lost an arm."
Londono, who had graduated as an industrial engineer from the Autonomous University of Manizales, was in Medellin participating in a bicycle fair before the tragic accident.
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He was national and Pan American champion and ran the Tour of San Felix among others in Europe.
Colombian Cycling Federation tweeted: “We deeply regret the death of Californian cyclist Miguel Londono, who suffered an accident while training in the city of Medellín.
"We send all our family and friends a big hug and our sincerest condolences. ”