Live Update arrow right icon From the Liveblog of Thursday, June 6, 2024

Israeli national team cyclist Guy Timor killed when hit by unlicensed drunk driver

6 June 2024, 2:35 pm 9 Edit

A member of the Israeli national cycling team has been killed by an unlicensed drunk driver who was trying to escape police near the Nehora interchange in the south.

Guy Timor was a member of the Israeli national team in track and road cycling. He was killed during his final training session this morning before he was set to fly to the Czech Republic for a Grand Prix competition.

Police say in a statement that the suspect in his 20s was detained and the initial investigation revealed that he had previously been caught driving without a license.

The driver, who has never held a license, hit Timor while trying to escape from police officers who ordered him to stop when he was seen driving erratically.

Timor has represented Israel in recent years in the European and world championships. According to Walla he won the silver medal in the 2024 Israeli Track Cycling Championship, as well as the silver medal in the U-23 Israeli Road Cycling Championship.

“It’s a huge and painful loss,” Timor’s coach Tzachi Bogen tells Walla. “It’s unbelievable how in one moment, a friend was taken from us.”

Yonatan Turgeman eulogizes his teammate and tells Army Radio that the roads are not safe for cyclists.

“He was an amazing rider, always with a smile. There was nobody who didn’t want to ride with him,” Turgeman says. “Every developed country has bicycle infrastructure. But not our country. We cannot protect ourselves.”

Most Popular