Mountain biker Rab Wardell dies days after title win at Scottish Championships

Scottish mountain biker Rab Wardell has died just days after winning the Scottish MTB XC Championships.

Scottish Cycling confirmed on Tuesday evening that Wardell died in his sleep, aged 37.

It said in a statement on Twitter: "We are devastated to confirm the news that international mountain biker & former employee, Rab Wardell, has passed away today.

"We have very little information at this stage, but we send our love & support to his family, friends & all those in our community who knew him.

"We ask that you respect Rab's family’s privacy at this incredibly sad time."

The track cyclist Katie Archibald, who was Wardell's girlfriend, posted on Twitter that he had died after suffering a "cardiac arrest" on Tuesday morning.

"I think you’ve heard that Rab died yesterday morning," wrote Archibald. "I still don’t understand what’s happened; if this is real; why he’d be taken now – so healthy and happy.

"He went into cardiac arrest while we were lying in bed. I tried and tried, and the paramedics arrived within minutes, but his heart stopped and they couldn’t bring him back."

Wardell won the elite men’s title at Kirroughtree Forest on Sunday overcoming several punctures to win on the final lap.

He appeared on BBC Scotland’s The Nine programme on Monday evening to talk about his victory but died later that night.