Iowa doctor killed in Trinidad while on bike tour

TRINIDAD — A doctor from Iowa who was participating in a coast-to-coast race was killed Thursday when his bicycle was struck by a pickup truck 26 miles west of here, according to the Colorado State Patrol.

Robert Breedlove, 53, was participating in the Race Across America, a nine-day bike race that began in San Diego on June 19 and is expected to end in Atlantic City, N.J. It was Breedlove’s fifth race, according to his profile on the race’s Web site.

Breedlove was struck on a two-lane section of Colorado 12 that sloped downhill, according to the race’s Web site.

The driver said Breedlove appeared to collapse on his bicycle and swerved into the vehicle, which was traveling in the opposite direction.

The 15-year-old unlicensed driver took evasive action and ended up off the road in a ditch, Colorado State Patrol Sgt. Anthony Mattie said. Charges were pending.

Preliminary autopsy results were expected Friday.

Breedlove was in the lead for his above 50 age group and was in 12th place overall, according to a statement released by race organizers.

“I cant get my mind around what has happened,” race director Jim Pitre told the DesMoinesRegister.com. “It doesn’t make any sense to me that a rider with that level of experience would drift into the other side.”

According to the DesMoinesRegister.com, Breedlove is an orthopedic surgeon and was married for 30 years. He and his wife, Gretchen, have four children: Molly Wince, 27; Ann Brown, 25; Erika Breedlove, 21; and Bill Breedlove, 20.

Pitre said the race will continue.