Amy Dombroski, Cyclo-Cross Racer, Killed While Training In Belgium

Cyclo-cross racer Amy Dombroski died after being struck by a truck while training in Belgium Thursday, according to her team.

Young Telenet-Fidea wrote on its website that Dombroski was doing a speed workout behind a scooter in Sint-Katelijne-Waver around 4 am when she was hit by the truck. The driver of the scooter was unharmed, but Dombroski died on impact. The 52-year-old truck driver was not under the influence of alcohol at the time of the tragic accident.

The 26-year-old was born in Jericho, Vermont, but had been living in Boulder, Colorado, since last year. According to Young Telenet-Fidea, Dombroski was engaged to motocross rider Ryan Rozinsky.

“Amy was a very likable young woman with lots of ambition,” the team wrote. “She had worked hard in recent months on her speed and power to make it to the top of women’s cyclo-cross in the coming months.” The team’s chairman, leader, riders, and staff extended their condolences to Dombroski’s family.

Amy Dombroski won three under-23 cyclo-cross national titles, and opened the 2013-14 season in the United States with a pair of local races in Colorado. She placed second at Cross of the North and first at GMS Zero Gravel Cross. Dombroski placed eighth at the Gran Prix of Gloucester in Gloucester, Massachusetts, on Saturday, and eleventh on Sunday.

Georgia Gould, who was Dombroski’s teammate for a year with LUNA Chix, said Dombroski was outspoken and hard-working.

“Amy was a firecracker,” she said. “She had a really great sense of humor. She’d say what’s on her mind which I appreciate. She was just a very dedicated racer. She was definitely an up and coming rider.”

According to Boulder-based VeloNews, Amy Dombroski’s friends set up a memorial fund to help her family. Donations can be left at Pro Peloton Cyclery in Boulder or mailed to Memorial of Amy Dombroski; c/o Wells Fargo Deposits; 1242 Pearl St.; Boulder, CO 80302.

[Photo credit: Matt Haughey / Flickr]