While police continue to investigate what they called a ‘freak accident’, friends and family of the 21-year-old cyclist are mourning the loss of a promising young athlete.
Friends confirmed the cyclist who died while in the crash on Whyte Avenue Monday morning is U of A student Isaak Kornelsen.
Just before 10:30 a.m., police were called to the area of Whyte Avenue and 101 Street – after reports of a collision between a cyclist and concrete truck came in.
Police said afterwards, the cyclist had been headed westbound on Whyte, when the rider tried to duck under the side view mirror of a parked pickup truck – but the cyclist hit the mirror, and was thrown under the concrete mixer truck which was heading in the same direction.
Investigators said the cyclist was pronounced dead on the scene.
A short time later, a ‘ghost bike’ was placed on the median near the scene of the crash – and since then, flowers and notes have been added.
Matt Simpson told CTV News he was a long-time friend of Kornelsen – and described him as a kind-hearted young man, who loved to run.
“Isaak was an all-around great guy, he was extremely smart, one of the smartest guys in my junior high and high school,” Simpsons said. “Not only that, but he was an amazing track runner.”
Graeme Law has been Kornelsen’s teammate since Grade 10 – and described the loss as losing a family member. The pair competed together in track throughout high school, and continued to the university level.
“You go through the same hardships,” Law said. “You lean on each other to get through the workouts, you push each other, have fun together.”
The pair had taken a bike ride down Whyte Avenue together only last week – and Law said, despite the tragic death of his friend, he will ride his bike again.
It’s something he felt Kornelsen would have wanted.
“The hard part for me is just he could have done anything he wanted to,” Law said. “He was really smart – [he had] so much potential.”
The tragedy is also casting light on bicycle safety – as Whyte Avenue is also a 24-hour truck route.
One truck driver suggested changes should be made to bylaws that would allow cyclists to ride on the sidewalk – which is illegal.
“[It’s] erratic, not so much the truck drivers, but the bus drivers just driving up and down here,” Truck driver Blane Hardie said. “There’s a lot to watch for, and a cyclist just makes it that much more to watch for.”
Police are still investigating what officers called a ‘freak accident’ – charges are not expected against the truck driver.
The funeral for Kornelsen has been scheduled for Saturday.
With files from Brenna Rose
