Steve Larsen

My God he's dead, former National NORBA Champion Steve Larsen at age 39. I'm 39! Holy cow! I was shocked when I read the news, the former Olympian hopeful died during a training run for a triathalon a few days ago.

Initial reports stated heart attack as the cause however VeloNews was reporting a respitory problem as the cause of death.

It made me think of my own mortality for a few moments and saddened me that there's one less rider on trail. I thought he had been screwed at the 2000 Olympics selection via USA Cycling.

USA Cycling has shown a consistency of fucking up the Olympic selection process time after time...the most recent had been illustrated in the documentary "Off Road to Athens." I kind of liked Tomac's idea: Select a National Coach who has total descretion as to who makes the mountainbike team. In my opinion: ideally I think it'd be great if each country could send 6 racers to the MTB Olympics: 3 Men & 3 Women w/alternates: 2 racers & 1 alternate for each gender.

I saw Larsen race the year of the Olympics at Mt Snow...you could see the anger in his racing for being overlooked for the Olympic Team. Anger pays, he won National Champion that year.

Its just unbelievable. Rest in Peace.