A San Diego-area man died Saturday while riding in the annual Climb to Kaiser after his bicycle veered off the paved roadway and hit a large pine tree.

Nicola Grossi, a 42-year-old from La Mesa, was taking part in his first Climb to Kaiser and was roughly 60 miles into the mountainous 155-mile course when he approached a curve on the steep, winding descent from Shaver Lake to Big Creek.

The endurance ride is ranked one of America's 10 toughest bike rides by Bicycling Magazine.

Grossi headed down an embankment and hit the tree about 10 feet off the road. The crash scene was about two miles north of Highway 168.

At 10:42 a.m., Grossi was pronounced dead, with his injuries "too severe," according to a California Highway Patrol report.

"You never want something like this to happen," said Climb to Kaiser organizer John Craft. "When you're going at high speeds on windy roads, sometimes unfortunate things like this can happen though."

Craft told the Associated Press that Grossi's death is the second fatality in the 36 years of the ride. In 2003 a rider from Tiburon was killed when he collided with a truck on the same stretch of road where Grossi was killed.

Two Fresno cyclists near Grossi rode past before realizing what happened.

They performed CPR for about 20 minutes before paramedics arrived, Craft said. A Fresno County sheriff's deputy was in the area and arrived just after the crash.

"The eyewitness

I spoke to said he had a pulse when they first found him," Craft said. "But no one was able to save him."

CHP closed Big Creek Road, and Climb to Kaiser organizers re-routed the remaining riders. About a third of the 310 registered riders were diverted toward Tamarack.

Some cyclists climbing up Big Creek watched as a sheriff's car sped by in the opposite direction.

"I knew something behind me happened," said Toulo Vang, a 33-year-old from Fresno in his first Climb to Kaiser. "You could smell the police car's brake pads. That's how fast the car was going downhill and trying to be careful with the narrow roads. I knew it couldn't be good."

Grossi is believed to be the second person to die in the event's 36-year history.

In 2003, Tony Fitzpatrick, a British citizen living in Tiburon, was struck and killed by a pickup on the steep descent into Big Creek. CHP reports indicated Fitzpatrick was riding on the wrong side of the road.

Word quickly spread Saturday morning among event organizers, as volunteers communicated on two-way radios, that a crash had occurred involving one of the cyclists.

But with few details, many were left wondering whether it involved someone they knew. Family and friends of cyclists waiting near the finish line also grew restless.

Christina Gonzalez, who took part in the 62-mile Millerton ride that was part of Saturday's events, was halfway through when she heard of the crash. Her concern was heightened because her husband, Arnold, was in the Climb to Kaiser.

"You just never know," Gonzalez said. "We finished the ride, then heard someone got airlifted. I was panicking a little."

It was unclear whether Grossi came to the Climb to Kaiser event by himself or was part of a larger party.

The two Fresno men riding near Grossi barely knew him, according to Craft, who declined to identify the cyclists except as two brothers from the area.

Craft, in his fifth year working the event, said the stretch of road leading to where the crash occurred is marked with cautionary signs. In addition, the event's handout material that maps out directions and rest stops states for that area: "Steep and winding; use caution on descents."

Several riders did not know of Grossi's death until completing the ride. The immediate reaction was shock and sadness.

Some wondered whether it would impact the event's future. Craft said he expected there would be a review of the ride and its safety measures.

"It's very unfortunate this incident occurred," said Brandon Franklin, who, along with Jonathan Eropkin, was the first to finish. "As sad as this news is, I really, really hope they don't do something like end this event."

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©2012 The Fresno Bee (Fresno, Calif.)

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