The Cycling world's lost another young star
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Last Updated: Wednesday, 16 January 2008, 09:10 GMT
Cycling star dies after collision
Jason MacIntyre was a British time trial champion
A Scottish cycling champion has died after a collision with a van on the A82 in Fort William.
Jason MacIntyre, 34, who broke cycling legend Graham Obree's 10-mile time trial record last year, died in hospital from his injuries.
He collided with a van while riding his bicycle at 1334 GMT on Tuesday.
Mr MacIntyre was a triple British and Scottish champion time trial cyclist. He lived in Fort William with his wife Caroline and eight-year-old twin girls.
He was born in Lochgilphead but had lived in Fort William since the age of 10.
Jason was a really nice guy, his death is a sad loss to the world of cycling
Craig McLean
Olympic cycling medallist
Despite not starting cycling until he was 18, he progressed in the sport, winning the Tour of the North in Ireland at the age of 23.
In 2002, he was selected to represent Scotland at the Commonwealth Games in Manchester.
Mr MacIntyre won the British 25-mile time trial twice and was the first Scot to win the British Circuit race time trial championship.
He took two years away from racing to help his wife following the premature birth of their daughters.
He died after the collision at Carrs Corner on the A82.
Scottish Olympic and world cycling medallist Craig MacLean said: "Jason was a really nice guy, his death is a sad loss to the world of cycling.
"It's very tragic. I think Jason was being considered for the Olympic squad in Beijing later this year and that would have been the pinnacle of his career."
'True champion'
Jackie Davidson, director of Scottish Cycling, the sport's governing body, said: "We are very sad for Caroline and the two girls and our thoughts are with them.
"Jason was a rider with so much talent and potential. Everyone is shocked to hear the news."
Scottish Cycling president Jock Shaw said: "We have lost one of our finest cyclists.
"Jason was a true champion who was always handicapped by geography.
Here was a young bloke out training and he got killed
John Beattie
BBC Scotland
"His achievements over the last few years proved that he was still improving and we were looking forward to him progressing further."
Tributes are also being paid to Mr MacIntyre on a cycling forum on the internet.
BBC Radio Scotland sports presenter John Beattie, who recently spoke to Mr MacIntyre on his programme, said the death illustrated the risks facing cyclists on Scotland's roads.
He added: "Here was a young bloke out training and he got killed. It just shows to everyone sitting in cars how dangerous it can be to be a cyclist.
"He was a road racer, he broke time trials, and that kind of cyclist needs to train on the roads but with more and more cars on the roads it is more dangerous.
"I have been on his website and he speaks of his love of the sport, he talks of how beautiful it is to be outside cycling in December doing a link that they would normally do in the summer time and how cold it was, how fresh it was, how he was trying to get rid of his Christmas over-indulgence."
Northern Constabulary's road policing section carried out a full investigation at the scene of the accident.
A report will be submitted to the procurator fiscal.
My thoughts are with his family.
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