Five-time Cape Epic winner Ariane Lüthi found it hard to believe that former Olympian Sharon Laws had died at the age of 43.
“I struggle to believe this happened to such a nice person; someone who always tried to live life to the healthiest,” Lüthi said yesterday.
Laws, a British cyclist who won the Cape Epic twice, as well as the British national road racing title in 2012, died on Saturday after battling cervical cancer for more than a year.
She had developed a local rivalry with Lüthi, who said: “I raced against her a few times, and trained with her when she came down to Stellenbosch.”
Ariane Lüthi (right) racing behind Sharon Laws (left) at the 2016 Tour of Good Hope. Photo: Tour of Good Hope
Lüthi now lives in the same flat where Laws used to stay. “The landlords here regarded her as their daughter,” she said. “They really loved her.
“I knew I had big shoes to fill when I took over this place. The landlords used to talk about how hard Sharon had worked on the bike.
“She left a great impression on everyone. She was very outdoorsy and adventurous. She also loved swimming, running and hiking.
“Sharon was someone I admired a lot. She had such huge passion. The sky was the limit for her.”
Lüthi and Laws competed in several races last year before the British rider was diagnosed with cancer. They were opponents in the Cape Epic, Attakwas Extreme MTB Challenge and Tour of Good Hope.
“I got to know her particularly well when I began training with her,” Lüthi said. “That’s when I got to know what a deep person she was; how much empathy she had. She was a great one to have conversations with.
“My last race against her, the Tour of Good Hope, has become a fond memory. Annika (Langvad) and I basically formed a team and we knew Sharon was our biggest threat.
“The Tour of Good Hope was my last saving grace before the Cape Epic, and Sharon made it difficult for us. I really needed that training.
“She just would not back down; she was a really smart rider. So much about her was impressive.”
They travelled to the Tour of Good Hope together, Lüthi recalled. “She didn’t even feel like a competitor before the start and after we crossed the finish line.
“We were rivals in the races, but friends afterwards. I loved the camaraderie between us.
“I was hoping to see her again in South Africa. I’ll miss her. Hearing about her death saddened me a lot. We lost a great person,” she added.
