Tahoe City bicyclist dies in Sierra bicycle race

A 51-year-old Tahoe City bicyclist died Saturday morning during the 2008 ALS Sierra Challenge.

Ricardo Ramirez went down during the Storey County portion of the race at approximately 10:59 a.m., Sgt. Jeff Bowers of the Storey County Sheriff’s Office said.

“A fellow rider who is actually a medical doctor attempted CPR,” Bowers said. “He (Ramirez) was unresponsive and pronounced dead at the scene.”
Bowers said the cause of death is unknown and is under investigation.
“There is going to be an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death,” Bowers said. “It is suspected natural causes, but we of course have to make sure.”
The Sierra Challenge raises money to support research on Lou Gehrig’s disease and to provide help to those suffering from it.
The race, which started and finished at 6000 Bartley Ranch Road, is run mostly in Reno, but one stretch takes riders up and down Geiger Grade and into Storey County.