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Canadian downhill mountain bike star Steve Smith dies at 26

2013 World Cup winner sustained massive brain injury in motorbike crash

Canadian mountain biker Steve Smith, winner of the UCI Mountain Bike Downhill World Cup in 2013, has died at the age of 26 following a motorcycle crash.

In a statement issued yesterday, his Devinci Global Racing team said that he died “after suffering a massive brain injury resulting from an enduro motorcycle accident in his hometown of Nanaimo, British Columbia.”

Nicknamed ‘The Canadian Chainsaw’ Smith took wins at Leogang, Hafjell, and Mont-Sainte-Anne, Que on his way to his 2013 World Cup overall victory.

Last month, he finished second in the opening round of this year’s World Cup series in Lourdes, marking a resumption of form following a couple of seasons that he had been forced to miss through injury.

Team manager Gabe Fox said: “Today we lost a great person, who taught me about myself and influenced many.

“Stevie was a fierce competitor, an honest friend and a rider who made me proud on countless occasions. I am honoured to consider him my friend for so long.”

Steve Smith 2 (picture - Devinci Global Racing, photo credit Sven Martin).jpg

“His spirit was infectious and inspirational,” said his team. “He passed away peacefully surrounded by his close family and those he positively affected.”

Fox added: “Steve was the most successful Canadian Gravity Racer of all time. His passing leaves a huge hole in our hearts here at Devinci.”

Trek-Segafredo’s Ryder Hesjedal, who started his career in mountain biking before switching to the road, was among those to express their shock at the news on social media.

The Stevie Smith Legacy Fund has been set up in his memory, with money raised helping to assist young riders. Donations can be made here.

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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3 comments

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xcstu | 7 years ago
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Very sad news  2 RIP fella..

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othello | 7 years ago
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Very sad and he has just returned from almost 2 years out with injury with a WC podium. Chainsaw absolutley ripped the track when he raced. Will miss watching him. 

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Yorkshire wallet | 7 years ago
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RIP. He'd just got things back on track as well. So young. 

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