Article updated with the name of the deceased.
32-year-old triathlete Bridie Lee was killed and two fellow riders were hospitalised after a car struck a group of five cyclists on a training ride in Australia’s national capital, Canberra, on Thursday 27 August 2026.
The crash happened around 6:30am local time during the weekly Bunch Ride organised by the Bilbys Triathlon Club, as the group rode on Gungahlin Drive when a car “ploughed” into the cyclists, according to ACT Policing Detective Inspector Mark Steel.
Lee was pronounced dead at the scene despite efforts by an off-duty nurse and an off-duty police officer, reportedly on only his second day in the job, who administered first aid before ambulance crews arrived.
Two male riders, aged 39 and 33, were taken to hospital. The 39-year-old remains in critical condition, while the 33-year-old has since been discharged. The driver, a 40-year-old woman at the wheel of a blue Hyundai Accent, stopped at the scene and is assisting police with their enquiries. Additional details of the crash have not been released, and no charges have been laid.
The cyclists were members of the Canberra Bilbys Triathlon Club, the ACT’s largest multisport club, with roughly 350 members. In a statement, the club said it was “devastated” and was arranging support for members.
ACT Triathlon president Lara Lever said she was shocked to hear of the crash, noting that the bunch was riding on a popular route used almost daily for training.
Gran Fondo Daily News extends its condolences to Bridie Lee’s family and the Bilbys Triathlon Club community.
Photo Credit: ABC News
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