RAAM winner Jure Robic dies in traffic accident
- By Charles Pelkey
- Published Sep. 24, 2010
- Updated Sep. 28, 2010 at 3:20 PM UTC
Five-time winner of the Race Across America, Jure Robic, died of injuries suffered in traffic accident in his native Slovenia on Friday.
Robic was struck by a car about five kilometers from his home, while descending a narrow mountain road in the Karavanke mountain range near the town of Jesenice.
The 45-year-old Robic was widely regarded as the world’s best ultra-endurance cyclist, setting a host of records in the discipline and winning RAAM five times, including this year.
According to a preliminary report from the Kranj Police Authority, the accident occurred at around 2:00 p.m. when Robic was struck by a car driven by a 55-year-old local resident. Robic died at the scene.
The report noted that the cause of the accident is still under investigation.
Related: Coverage of the 2010 RAAM
Charles Pelkey
Charles Pelkey joined VeloNews in 1994 after serving as press secretary for former GOP Whip Alan K. Simpson in the U.S. Senate. Pelkey has worked as a journalist since 1985 and held a number of editorial positions at VeloNews including Senior Editor of VeloNews.com. Pelkey earned a JD from the University of Wyoming College of Law and lives in Laramie, Wyoming, with Diana, his wife of 25 years, and their two children, Philip and Annika, whose presence serves as a constant reminder of what really matters. Pelkey left VeloNews in July, 2011, but continues to be a regular contributor. Charles can now be found at liveupdateguy.com