Remembering Lindsay Burgess – Canadian Cycling Magazine

When Lindsay Burgess passed away during a local race last weekend, her shocking death left a massive hole in the Victoria and greater B.C. cycling community. The well-loved rider’s tragic death

A consistent presence on the Island race circuit with her partner Chad Grice, across gravel, road, cyclocross and mountain biking, nearly everyone who raced a bike on the island had met, or raced alongside Burgess a some point over the last decade. With her easy humour and dedication to the sport, Burgess had a way of quickly connecting with her fellow riders. That connection often started with a joke on the start line and grew from there.

Racing fast, and fast friends

“When I think of Lindsay, I remember the energy she brought to every event, her toughness and determination, and that she always showed up,” says Kimberly Chen, a Victoria track, road and cross racer. “Lindsay’s presence always brought me a sense of comfort in the racing environment, and I will miss it greatly.”

While showing up, weekend after weekend, season after season, made them a reliable presence on the race circuit, it was their deep commitment to the Victoria and island community that will be remembered by so many.

“I first met Chad and Lindsay at Cross on the Rock and they have been so kind and welcoming since my earliest racing days. Last year, after the Barbie movie came out, I got a pink cyclocross bike and called it my CX Barbie bike. This year, Chad and Lindsay attended a cyclocross clinic, that I was hosting, and remembered what I called my bike and brought me cyclocross Barbie stickers that they had made to put on my bike. They are the kind of people that remember the little things and find joy in making others happy,” recalls Holly Henry, a Victoria racer turned coach. “I am so deeply saddened about the loss of Lindsay. Lindsay was a light both literally and figuratively in our local racing scene. She supported all the local races and was an enthusiastic, determined racer, who also always had the most fun, bright cycling kits! The cycling community won’t be the same without Lindsay but we will always remember the impact she had.”

Everyone I talked to has their own Lindsay story. I frost met her and Chad nearly a decade ago when their riding started to venture more…