October 4, 2013–By Jen Benepe
The international cycling community is reeling after the death of Amy Dombroski who died in a training crash in Belgium yesterday morning.
The 26-year-old Dombroski was killed by a truck while doing her training workout on a road with her teammates from the Young Telenet-Fidea Cycling Team.
“Amy did a speed workout behind the scooter when a collision occurred in Begijnendijk between Betekom and Werchter with a truck. The driver of the motorcycle escaped miraculously to the accident,” said the team Manager Hans van Kasteren. “For Amy the blow was so great that she has succumbed.”
The Internet lit up with sad remembrances to Ms. Dombroski who was known mostly for her Cyclo Cross competitions from hundreds of cyclists around the world who said they will miss her greatly.
Her Facebook page has become a column of honorifics, and sad goodbyes. “See you down the road Sista! Love and Respect,” wrote Jose Alcala, who is a SRAM specialist.
“Amy Dombroski you will never be forgotten and sadly missed by all, taken far too young. Keep smiling, I’ll always remember the great times we had together. RIP,” wrote another friend.
Dombroksi was born in Jericho, Vermont but had been living in Boulder, Colorado until last year.
She was engaged to motocross rider Ryan Rozinsky, and was scheduled to fly to America on Tuesday, where ten days ago she won a race. Pictures of Ms. Dombroski with her face splattered in mud after completing a cycle-cross race, showed her as happiest when she was competing.
“Amy was a very likeable young woman with lots of ambition. She had worked hard in recent months to its power and speed to the top of the women’s cyclocross,” said van Kasteren.
Chairman Corne Lepoeter, team leader Kris Wouters, all riders and staff of her team “offer the family of Amy their sincere feelings of compassion,” said the statement.
Van Kasteren is said to be deeply affected by Dombroski’s death. “This is the second time something like that happens to us. When Tim Pauwels, brother of Kevin, then died, he died in my arms. And now this. Amy was a wonderful girl, a good rider [with] full field development. Tuesday at the team presentation I noticed her optimism for the coming winter. We had a lot of confidence in her. We will greatly miss Amy.”