A Tragic Loss

The Bay Area Cycling community is in shock from the loss of two of its own yesterday. From the SF Chronicle:

Sheriff's deputy hits cyclists, killing 2

(03-09) 20:42 PDT Cupertino -- A rookie Santa Clara County deputy sheriff patrolling a winding Cupertino road Sunday morning veered into the opposite lane of traffic and struck three bicyclists, killing two, including a rising star in the Bay Area cycling community, authorities said.

Authorities did not release the names of the riders who were killed, but friends identified them as Kristy Gough, 30, of San Leandro and Matt Peterson, 29, of San Francisco. The third cyclist, whose name was not released, was listed in critical condition Sunday night at Stanford University Medical Center.

Gough was a professional triathlete who recently took up road racing and who friends said won every race she entered this year. She and Peterson, also an amateur road racing cyclist, both won their divisions in a March 1 road racing event in downtown Merced.

My condolences to all who knew Kristy and Matt and best wishes to the unidentified cyclist still in the hospital. As they say, be careful out there people.


I didn't know Matt or Kristy, but I'd been hearing about Kristy, and I know a few of Matt's temmates. It turns out their teams met for a training ride at the same spot Joey and I went for a training ride yesterday--Canada Rd. But Joey had been sick for a couple days and we did an easy and shortish ride, not venturing up into the hills. Matt had just won his first race--the Merco Criterium, and Kristy, a champion triathlete, just started racing this year. Here are her USACycling results--8 races, 8 wins.

03/02/2008 - Merco Credit Union Foothills Road Race - Road Race - Cat 3/4
1	Kristy Gough	274487	00:00.0	649	Third Pillar
03/01/2008 - Merco Credit Union Cycling Classic Downtown GP - Criterium - Cat 3/4
1	Kristy Gough	274487	00:00.0	862	Third Pillar
02/24/2008 - Original Merced Criterium - Criterium - Cat 3
1	Kristy Gough	274487	00:00:00.00	804	Third Pillar
02/17/2008 - Pine Flat Road Race - Road Race - Cat 4
1	Kristy Gough	274487
02/16/2008 - Cantua Creek Road Race - Road Race - Cat 4
1	Kristy Gough	274487	00:00:00.00	905	Third Pillar
02/16/2008 - Snelling Road Race - Road Race - Cat 3
1	Kristy Gough	274487	00:00.0	906	Third Pillar
02/10/2008 - Cherry Pie Criterium - Criterium - Cat 4
1	Kristy Gough	274487			3rd Pillar
01/26/2008 - Early Bird Road Race - Road Race - Cat 4
1	Kristy Gough	0			Unattached