CYCLING champion Lais Saes has died aged 42 after being struck down in a horror hit-and-run while training on her bike in Brazil.
The Brazilian cyclist had been riding on a dirt road in the mountains on Thursday (May 30) when a utility vehicle going downhill struck her.
Jam PressBrazilian champion cycler Laís Saes has died in a hit-and-run[/caption]
Jam PressSaes had been training on mountain road last week when the accident took place[/caption]
Jam PressSaes, 42, was a well-known figure in Brazilian cycling[/caption]
The driver allegedly fled without stopping to provide help and, as of Sunday, police are still working to identify the perpetrator.
The accident happened in the Serra da Canastra National Park in Delfinópolis, a Brazilian municipality located in the southwest of the state of Minas Gerais.
The location was one of Saes’s favourite training spots due to the mountainous terrain.
She had been cycling on a difficult-to-access road with a group of four other cyclists, including her boyfriend, CNN Brasil report.
According to a witness, who preferred not to identify himself, it took more than an hour for emergency services to arrive at the scene.
“I took over the procedure. I saw that she had no pulse, no breathing and I continued the CPR procedure to clear her airways,” the witness said.
“I continued the procedure for more than an hour. SAMU arrived and carried out the same procedures, only with equipment. They couldn’t revive her either.”
Saes was a well-known figure in Brazilian cycling, renowned for winning the 2021 São Paulo state road cycling championship in the Elite category, according to local media.
She represented the Indaiatuba Cycling Team, where she had been living for some years.
Her winning time was reportedly 42 miles in one hour, 59 minutes, and three seconds.
She won the Road Brasil Ride event twice, in 2021 and 2022, and the Festival Brasil Ride event in 2017, according to reports.
Saes was also the fastest woman in the 2022 L’Étape du Tour de France between Briançon and Alpe d’Huez.
The annual event allows amateur cyclists to ride one of the mountain stages of the Tour de France.
Saes was reportedly the first woman to cycle up São Paulo’s Jaraguá Peak, which stands at 3,724 ft above sea level.
To reach the highest point, cyclists face a 29 mile route, with the last two miles being a steep climb.
Away from competing, Saes also operated as a business manager, according to local media.
She was affiliated with the cycling clothing and apparel brand Arrival Sports.
A popular figure on Instagram, Saes often shared her gruelling training regime.
Her mum, Walkiria Mendes, wrote: “She was a determined and strong woman who loved her bike races and training.
“She left us doing what she loved most, but sadly, she was hit by a car on a dirt road.
“Life is like that, a time to arrive, a time to leave, and those who stay behind are the ones who suffer.
“Rest in peace, my dear Lala.”
The São Paulo Cycling Federation posted a heartfelt tribute to Saes in a statement online.
It read: “It is with immense sadness that we mourn the death of cyclist Lais Saes, which occurred this Thursday while training on a dirt road.
“We regret this irreparable loss and sympathize with family and friends in this moment of pain. Our condolences to everyone!”
Saes’s funeral was held in her hometown of Jundiaí on Saturday (June 1).
Her body has been taken to Itatiba, a municipality in the state of São Paulo, for cremation.
Jam PressSaes was a cycling champion in her home country[/caption]
Jam PressShe most notably won the 2021 São Paulo state road cycling championship in the Elite category[/caption]
Jam PressHer mum, Walkiria Mendes, said she ‘left us doing what she loved most’[/caption] Creator – [#item_custom_dc:creator]
