RideLondon 2017: 67-year-old dies during cycling event

'He died doing what he loved'

RideLondon riders cycling through a Surrey village on the route (AFP/Getty Images)

A 67-year-old father of four has died while cycling in the RideLondon event.

Maris Ozols, who was tackling the 46 mile route, suffered a cardiac arrest on Cromwell Road around the 13 mile mark, a statement from Prudential RideLondon said.

His son, Martin said: “Maris lived life to the full. He was a much loved husband, father and grandfather who refused to get old.

"He died doing what he loved.”

In a statement, Prudential RideLondon said: "Everyone involved in Prudential RideLondon would like to express our sincere condolences to Maris’s family and friends.

"No further details will be released and the family has asked for privacy. The exact cause of death will be established by later medical examination."

A donation page for the British Heart Foundation was set up in memory of Mr Ozols.

More than 26,000 cyclists took part in the fifth annual event, which features two routes through Surrey and central London before ending along the Mall in front of Buckingham Palace.

The amatuer rides were then followed by a 125 mile race by professional cyclists who rolled over the line around 6pm.

Mr Ozols' death follows the death of two riders in last year's event.

Richard Kell from Abingdon, Oxfordshire and Robin Chard, also from Oxfordshire, both died following the event in 2016.

Mr Kell, 71, died in hospital of suffering catastrophic head injuries after coming off his bike and Mr Chard, 48, suffered a cardiac arrest around the 25 mile mark.

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