The Pan American Cycling Confederation (COPACI), through its president, José Manuel Peláez, expressed his condolences to the family of the cyclist Marlon Pérez through the Colombian Cycling Federation, for the death early Friday morning of the former world youth track champion, among other great prizes.
The first official versions of the incident indicate that he was wounded with a knife in the neck, which took his life. The causes of death of the renowned cyclist are still to be clarified.
The events occurred in El Carmen de Viboral. After what happened, Marlon Pérez was taken to the hospital in an ambulance of the Fire Brigade, where he finally died after losing a lot of blood.
The renowned cyclist from Támesis, Antioquia, will be remembered as one of the best riders in the history of Colombian cycling, with many stage victories in Clasico RCN, Vuelta a Colombia, Vuelta a Venezuela, Vuelta al Táchira, Tour de Langkawi, Vuelta a Costa Rica, among others.
Marlon Perez, who made his professional debut in 2000, with the Selle Italia team, was still very active in road and track cycling at the age of 48. He had just participated in the Vuelta a Colombia Máster. His last remembered performance was in the Parapan American Games Lima 2019 when he helped Javier Serna to win the gold medal in the Individual Pursuit of category B, setting a new Parapan American record with 4:22.551.
In his professional career stretched for almost three decades, Marlon was national champion in road and time trial in the U-23 category, champion of the Vuelta de la Juventud in 1998, Vuelta al Valle 1999, won the Tour Nord-Isère in 2000 and gold medal in the Pan American Games 2011 Time Trial 40 km, in addition to many other achievements.
Source: Revista Mundo Ciclístico