Chad Young, a promising young member of the Axeon Hagens Berman professional cycling team, died late Friday in Tucson, Arizona, after a crash in New Mexico. Young was reportedly the first American rider to die in a North American stage race in almost two decades.
The severe facial and injuries suffered by Young, a 21-year-old New Hampshire native, occurred on April 23 in Silver City, New Mexico, in the final stage of the Tour of the Gila. After being initially listed in stable condition, Young was downgraded to critical, according to news reports. Young’s death was a tough blow to Axeon Hagens Berman, which in a statement mourned the loss of a friend, teammate and family member.
