A mountain biker from Fife has died just two days after winning a Scottish championship in the sport.
Rab Wardell from Dunfermline passed in his sleep on Monday night aged 37.
He won the elite men’s title at the Scottish MTB XC Championships in Dumfries and Galloway on Sunday, overcoming three punctures to win the race.
He is also a former British Championships medallist, multiple Scottish champion and Race The World USA winner.
A former Commonwealth Games cyclist, having competed in Melbourne in 2006, he only turned professional earlier this year.
His death also comes the day after an appearance on BBC Scotland where he spoke about his win and mountain biking.
Mountain biker Rab Wardell has died in his sleep aged 37 – two days after winning the Scottish championship.
He was on The Nine just last night speaking about his win.
Our thoughts are with his friends and family. https://t.co/WicdBkGJ8d pic.twitter.com/eaH5NJpae9
— The Nine (@BBCScotNine) August 23, 2022
Rab’s success in cycling goes back to his younger days. His first club was Sandy Wallace Cycles in Inverkeithing
He won junior and under-23 titles. He later got into coaching and ran his own business Wardell Cycle Coaching.
Rab, who then moved to Glasgow, also pedalled his way into the record books for cycling the 95 mile-long West Highland Way in nine hours, 14 minutes and 32 seconds in December 2020.
He beat the previous record, set weeks earlier, by about four minutes.
Since news of his death broke on Tuesday, tributes have been paid to who one man, James Alder, describes as a “class rider and proper nice guy”.
‘Our champion, our inspiration, our friend’
The Scottish Cross Country Association, who runs the mountain bike race Rab competed in, said in a statement on social media: “We are devastated to relay to you the tragic news that our friend, our champion Rab Wardell has died.
“Our deepest sympathy to his friends, family and loved ones.
“He will be truly missed by our community and his determination, talent and friendship will live on in all our hearts and memories.
“I’m sure more eloquent words will be written by many but RIP Rab. Our champion, our inspiration, our friend.”
Others have said they are “shocked” and “devastated” by the news, calling him an inspiration.
