Marion Norbert Riberolle mourns murdered former cyclist Cindy Morvan after Rapencross — “We must say no to violence”

Marion Norbert Riberolle finished second at the Rapencross morvaLokeren on Sunday, only behind Lucinda Brand, but her thoughts after crossing the line were far from the race itself. The French-born rider, now representing Belgium, used her post-race interview to express grief following the tragic death of former cyclist Cindy Morvan.

“I learned about her death yesterday,” said Norbert Riberolle to Sporza. “When I still lived in France, she really helped me become a rider.”

Morvan, 39, a former French junior track champion, was killed on Friday in Calais. According to French police, she was shot and killed by her ex-partner’s girlfriend, with whom she had an "extremely strained" relationship. The suspected killer then committed suicide in her car, leaving a letter of apology beside her. 

“It was a violent death,” Norbert Riberolle continued. “That is why I want to take this opportunity to say that we must say no to violence. We must never accept it. My thoughts are with her and her loved ones.”

Tributes have poured in since the announcement of the cyclist's death. "I cannot understand or accept that such a tragedy could occur. Cindy Morvan embodied commitment and the passing on of knowledge. A woman, a mother, a passionate volunteer, brutally torn from those she loved. I can neither understand nor accept that such a tragedy could occur," wrote Natacha Bouchart, the mayor of Calais, on Facebook.

Turning briefly to her race performance, Norbert Riberolle said she was still recovering from illness. “I was sick after Overijse, so I spent the whole week in bed. This weekend was actually more of a training for the European Championships. So, in the end, it wasn’t that bad,” she explained.