ALPE D'HUEZ, France - A British cyclist has been killed after colliding with a car while descending the famous 21 bends of Alpe d'Huez.
Joe Pether, 53, collided with a British-registered car on bend 17 of the road, which is one of the legendary climbs of the Tour de France and is a mecca for amateur cyclists. The crash happened on Sunday 29 June while Mr Pether was riding with friends during a cycling tour of the Alps. He had been in training for a London to Paris ride.
Mr Pether, who lived in Sunbury, Surrey, ran a property and building company. His daugher Lacey told Go Surrey: "We are trying to repatriate his body back to the UK. The Foreign Office has been very helpful, we did have some problems with the insurance company getting dad back but that has been resolved."
The British car driver, aged 50, was breathalysed at the scene and returned a negative reading. Police are questioning whether the driver, who was driving up the mountain, took the bend too widely and was on the wrong side of the road.
The ascent of Alpe d'Huez will be the final climb of La Marmotte, which takes place this Saturday. Mr Pether was not entered to take part in the Marmotte.
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