Wardell suffered a cardiac arrest in his sleep just two days after winning the Scottish MTB XC Championship. Archibald now described her “pain” at his death, revealing that the plagues could not “bring him back” after Wardell’s heart stopped. “I think you’ve heard Rab died yesterday morning,” tweeted two-time Olympic gold medalist track cyclist Archibald. “I still don’t understand what happened. if this is true; why he was being taken now – so healthy and happy. “He went into cardiac arrest while we were lying in bed. I tried and tried, and the medics arrived within minutes, but his heart stopped and they couldn’t bring him back. “Mine stopped with that. I love him so much and I need him here with me. I need him so badly here, but he’s gone. I can’t describe this pain.” Wardell competed for Scotland at the 2006 Commonwealth Games as part of a long and distinguished amateur mountain biking career before turning professional earlier this year. He overcame a string of punctures to win the men’s elite national title for the first time at Kirroughtree Forest in Dumfries & Galloway on Sunday. “Thank you to those who pay tribute,” Archibald continued. “I can’t bear to speak of him in the past tense to say anything myself. You mean everything to me, Rab. I love you.” The two cyclists lived together in Glasgow. Chris Hoy, a six-time Olympic track and field champion, paid tribute to his fellow Scot, writing on Twitter: “Can’t believe this. Absolutely heartbreaking. Rest in peace Rab.”
