News for June 24


ONCE Tour rider dies

Spanish cyclist Mariano Rojas, a rider for the powerful ONCE team and a scheduled Olympic participant, died Sunday morning as a result of injuries he suffered in a car accident on Friday, hospital staff announced.

The sporting director of the ONCE team, Manuel Sainz, announced that team members Alex Zulle and Laurent Jalabert would not compete in national championship events on Sunday as a tribute to Rojas.

Rojas, 23, died from respiratory failure and delayed shock after suffering multiple injuries in the accident. He had been scheduled to ride in both the Tour de France and the Atlanta Olympic Games road race and was considered one of Spain's most promising riders.