Shocking and heavy news from Colombia. Former professional cyclist Marlon Pérez has passed away at the age of 48. The Colombian was reportedly attacked in Carmen de Viboral, a suburb of Medellín. During an altercation, he was stabbed in the neck and later died in the hospital from his injuries.
The Colombian Cycling Federation confirmed his death. "With deep pain and great dismay, the Colombian Cycling Federation joins in the deep mourning over his passing," they stated in a press release. His former team, Movistar (then Caisse d'Epargne), also expressed deep shock at the death of their former colleague. "As Movistar Team, we send all our strength and comfort to the family and friends of Marlon Pérez, as well as to all of Antioquia (Pérez’s home region, ed.). An event that fills us with sadness. Rest in peace, dear friend."
Although Pérez was not a widely known name in Europe, he was a major figure in Colombian cycling. He was active both on the track and on the road. He participated in the Olympic Games three times (Atlanta in 1996, Sydney in 2000, and Athens in 2004) and won the national time trial title three times. In 2011, he also became the Pan-American time trial champion. With Colombia - Selle Italia and his later Spanish employer, he participated in the Giro d’Italia three times, with an eighth-place finish in 2008 as his best stage result.
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Pérez loved cycling and continued until he was forty
The Colombian continued cycling until the age of forty. However, in 2013, he was caught doing dtoping, which led to a two-year suspension. That didn’t stop him from returning to the peloton at the age of 39. He competed in the Tour of Colombia twice more (where he had previously won a total of six stages), with a seventh-place finish in 2016 as his best result.
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