By Dave Iltis — On July 29, 2023, Magnus White, an aspiring bike racer training for the Junior World Championships in Mountain Biking was struck and killed by a driver on the Diagonal Highway in Boulder, Colorado. The White Line website describes Magnus as, “American teen, who was on the verge of becoming a world-class cyclist. He excelled across multiple disciplines – cyclocross, mountain biking, and road racing. He was an inspiration to so many people through how he lived his life and raced his bikes. Magnus was a loving and cherished brother, son and grandson. Many remember him for his vibrant energy, his infectious smile, and his ability to make any room come alive. His friends often said Magnus wasn’t just a friend; he was their best friend. He brought laughter, leadership, and an undying spirit of living life to the fullest. His infectious laughter and bright demeanor made him the life of any gathering. He didn’t just enjoy the moment; he made it memorable. Beyond his fun-loving nature, Magnus was a blend of kindness, drive, wit, and a touch of mischief — he simply made people smile.”
In a statement released in 2023, USA Cycling noted, “White was focused on his final preparations before leaving for Glasgow, Scotland to compete in the Junior Men’s Mountain Bike Cross-Country World Championships on August 10, 2023.
White fell in love with cycling at an early age through Boulder Junior Cycling. He was a rising star in the off-road cycling scene and his passion for cycling was evident through his racing and camaraderie with his teammates and local community. He won the 2021 Junior 17-18 Cyclocross National Championships, then went on to compete with the USA Cycling National Team for a full season of European Cyclocross racing and closed out the year at the 2022 UCI Cyclocross World Championship in Fayetteville, Arkansas. He proudly represented the U.S. and the Boulder community at another Cyclocross World Championships in January of 2023 in Hoogerheide. The summer of 2023 marked a new chapter for White, where he earned a spot on the Mountain Bike World Championships team.”
In memory of Magnus, his family started the White Line, a non-profit foundation, with the mission, “To preserve and honor the legacy of Magnus White, using his memory to inspire cyclists around the world and to pay tribute to lives taken too soon. We are dedicated to advocating for the safety of all vulnerable road users and to be a new voice towards creating safer road environments.”
The foundation has initiatives in place to improve vulnerable road user infrastructure, to increase accountability for negligent drivers, to ask the US Department of Transportation to protect all people, and a Lives Worth Remembering Film Series to honor victims of road violence. They plan on working locally on infrastructure and nationally on Automatic Emergency Braking.
To learn more about the White Line or to contribute, visit: https://www.thewhiteline.org
Additionally, in support of the family and the White Line, a Go Fund Me is in place, “In memory of Magnus White.” (Find it here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/magnus-white)
