The coroner's office is handling the case of a Victoria man who died after falling off his mountain bike and hitting his head on a trail near Nanaimo on Saturday.
His name has not been disclosed.
The accident happened about 10:30 a.m. Saturday on Mount Benson when the man was riding with others, Nanaimo RCMP Staff Sgt. John Blaas said.
He was taken to hospital in Victoria, but died, Blaas said. The man had been riding on trails at Mount Benson, west of Nanaimo, with a group of riders.
Mount Benson has several trails designed specifically for mountain bikes. They range in difficulty, with some downhill runs in the advanced category.
Angie Murray, president of the South Island Mountain Bike Society, was out town on Saturday. She said in a Sunday statement, “This is tragic news for the mountain bike community, especially so close on the heels of Stevie Smith's passing.”
On Saturday, Nanaimo mourned the loss of local resident Steve Smith, 26, a world downhill mountain-bike champion, who died after suffering a brain injury in an enduro-motorcycle crash near Nanaimo.
A celebration of life was held at the Vancouver Island Conference Centre for Smith, who was dubbed the “Canadian Chainsaw” for his bold style.
