Famous mountain biker Rab Wardell dies two days after winning Scottish title

Rab Wardell, a well-known mountain biker, died in his sleep two days after winning the Scottish championship.

Wardell won the elite men's title at the Scottish MTB XC Championships over the weekend at Kirroughtree Forest. He had appeared on TV for an interview on Monday night and tragically passed away hours later.

The 37-year-old biker passed away in his sleep after appearing for an interview on BBC Scotland's "The Nine" programme. Scottish Cycling said that they were "devastated" to confirm the death of the rider.

"We have very little information at this stage, but we send our love and support to his family, friends and all those in our community who knew him," read a tweet from the organisation. "We ask that you respect Rab's family's privacy at this incredibly sad time," they added.

Wardell had been racing mountain bikes since he was a teenager. The former Commonwealth Games cyclist had joked about how he had overcome three punctures to win the Scottish Championship.

He also took to Twitter to express his joy after winning gold on Sunday, and said that he was happy to have added to the junior title he had won earlier in his career.

Describing his experience at the race during the BBC interview, he said: "To be honest, it was a bit of a disaster, but I just have to keep on trucking and keep racing."

"I guess I still felt confident that I'd be able to catch the leaders and win so I just gave it my best shot - what more can you do?" he added. His win had been described as a "show of incredible resilience" by British Cycling.

A statement from the Scottish Cross Country Association read: "Our deepest sympathy to his friends, family and loved ones. He will be truly missed by our community and his determination, talent and friendship will live on in all our hearts and memories."