Irish cycling is grieving the loss of 16-year-old junior rider Shane O’Brien, who was killed on Tuesday morning when he collided with a stationary lorry while training on the N72 at Ballygalane, just outside Lismore in Co Waterford. He was pronounced dead at the scene shortly after 11am. His body was removed to University Hospital Waterford for a post-mortem examination. The lorry driver was uninjured.
The tragedy comes just two days after Gran Fondo Daily News reported the death of 21-year-old French amateur Adrien Chipault, who was killed on Sunday 14 June 2026 when a car struck him at a crossroads in Louannec, Brittany, during a training ride.
Two young riders. Two open roads. Three days apart. The question of cyclist safety while training has never felt more urgent.
Born on 01 July 2009 in Fermoy, Co Cork, O’Brien had only recently stepped into the national team spotlight. After moving to CAMS Majaco for the 2026 season, he hit the ground running with two podium finishes in National Single Grade races and gained international experience racing abroad with his club. That form earned him selection for Ireland’s five-rider squad at the Course de la Paix Juniors in the Czech Republic in May, where all five riders made their national team road debuts.
His most recent competitive outing was the Côte d’Or Classic in France on 06-07 June, where he finished 36th overall and tenth in the young rider classification — results that will sadly stand as the final entries in a career cut far too short.
Shane’s older brother, Liam O’Brien, is a professional rider with U23 Lidl-Trek Future Racing team. Liam was competing at the Giro Next Gen when news broke and immediately left the race to return home.
Gran Fondo Daily News extends its deepest condolences to the O’Brien family and the wider Irish cycling community.
Photo Credit: supplied
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