Ethan Boyes, a ten-time U.S. cycling champion, was struck and killed by a car on the streets of San Francisco on Tuesday.
Boyes suffered critical injuries after being hit by a driver in Presidio, near Arguello Boulevard at Washington Boulevard. He was taken to a local hospital, where he soon died from his injuries, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
The 44-year-old athlete has a long list of accomplishments and championship wins and is the current Masters’ Track World Champion in the Men’s 40-44 Time Trial and Sprint event. He also holds several records for over 40 riders and the American record for the 500-meter “flying start” track time trial.
Sydney Parcell, right, and Wagner Sousa places a track cycling world champion jersey at a memorial, Thursday, April 6, 2023, in San Francisco, near where friend Ethan Boyes was fatally struck by a vehicle earlier in the week. (Stephen Lam/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)
The tributes poured in for the cyclist.
“Ethan was a very experienced cyclist and well regarded in the cyclist community,” Shaana Rahman, a spokesperson for the family, told the paper. “This is a pretty devastating loss for the family and for the San Francisco cycling community.”
“He was literally one of the nicest people I’ve ever met — not only in the small circle of track cycling… but anywhere!” former teammate Karl Baumgart wrote on Facebook. “… He also just so happened to be one of the fastest sprinters in the World.”
“Beyond Ethan’s athletic achievements, he was an upstanding member of the American track cycling community,” USA Cycling said in a Facebook post. “His loss will be felt at local, regional, national, and world events for years, as he brought a mixture of competition and friendliness to every race. Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones.”
The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition, a city safety group, also lamented the loss.
“The SF Bicycle Coalition joins the bicycling community in mourning Ethan Boyes, a well-known and beloved figure in San Francisco bicycling, and especially in the track racing world,” the coalition wrote. “The outpouring of sadness on social media speaks to Ethan’s kindness and generosity of spirit. We extend our deepest condolences to Ethan’s family and everyone who knew and loved him.”
Since the accident occurred in the Presidio of San Francisco, which is a former U.S. Army Post and a national park, U.S. Park Police are investigating the incident.
Park police also reported that the driver of the vehicle that hit Boyes was also injured and was treated at the hospital.
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