The San Francisco Bay Area’s cycling community is reeling from the tragic loss of two professional road racers last Sunday. A third rider is in stable condition in a local area hospital. According to reports, a sheriff’s deputy collided with three cyclists head-on after falling asleep at the wheel. The area of the crash is where I would ride regularly when living in San Jose. I couldn’t imagine being there that day and witnessing it.

Matt Peterson was a driven 30-year-old Cat 4 who competed in 24-hour mountain bike races and Ironman triathlons but who achieved one of his proudest victories — first place in the Merced criterium — just a week ago.

Kristy Gough, 31, was a talented triathlete and a generous competitor, who took up road racing this season and won the first seven races she entered.

From VeloNews

The Chronicle reports on some scary statistics that while the number of bike accidents involving cars is decreasing, the likelyhood of a fatality is going up.

The number of bicyclists killed in collisions with motor vehicles has increased 28 percent over the past decade – from 18 to 23 deaths per year, according to a Chronicle analysis of data collected by the California Highway Patrol.

That increase is despite a 22 percent drop in the number of regional bicycle accidents between 1997 and 2006, the last year for which complete statistics are available for the nine Bay Area counties. The number of bicyclists injured in accidents over that period declined by a similar amount.

Statewide statistics show a similar trend over the same period: a 37 percent rise in fatal accidents and a decline of 22 percent in both the total number of bicycle accidents and the number of injuries.

Memorials for cyclists

– Friends of Matt Peterson and Kristy Gough are planning a memorial ride Saturday to the site where the two were struck and killed by a sheriff’s deputy’s cruiser. The ride leaves from the parking lot of Foothill College in Los Altos Hills, 12345 El Monte Road. Organizers are asking cyclists to meet at 2:30 p.m. for a 3 p.m. departure.

– A remembrance for Gough is planned for 2 p.m. Sunday at the Five Rings Cycling Center at 297 N. Amphlett Blvd. in SanMateo