Sule Kangangi, a Kenyan cyclist, died in a mishap on Saturday while racing in a gravel event in Vermont. The 33-year-old was competing in the Vermont Overland event when he crashed.
"Our commander, buddy, and brother is Sule. He is a parent, a husband, and a son. When giants collapse, they leave gaping gaps. "Sule was a colossus," his team, Amani, wrote on social media.
Rachel Ruto, wife of Kenyan President-elect William Ruto, expressed her horror at Kangangi's death on Twitter.
According to the competition's website, the Vermont Overland is a 59-mile dirt road bicycle race with approximately 7,000 feet of elevation. On Saturday, around 900 cyclists competed.
"We are grieved by the unfortunate death of Suleiman 'Sule' Kangangi during the Overland yesterday," Vermont Overland owner Ansel Dickey said in a statement released on Sunday.
"He was a wonderful friend to his colleagues and an inspiring and brave rider to the dirt cycling community at large." We express our heartfelt condolences to his family, friends, Team Amani, and the Kenyans who are grieving his death today," stated Ansel Dickey.