Mystery as BMX ‘Godfather’ Scot Breithaupt is found dead in a tent

BMX bike racing pioneer Scot Alexander Breithaupt has been found dead, aged 57. Police officers responded to reports of a body near a shopping centre in Indio, California, and found Mr Breithaupt’s body inside a tent at a vacant lot. Media reports said the tent was surrounded by drug paraphernalia and alcohol bottles. Breithaupt was credited with turning BMX-ing from a backyard hobby into an international action sport. He was among the first to organise bicycle races on dirt motorcycle courses in the early 1970s, becoming first a founder of BMX — or bicycle motocross — then a champion, then one of its first famous faces.

Scot was one of the key figures in making BMX become what it is today. He would say he was the key figure, because that was the kind of guy he was.

Craig Barrette, spokesman for USA BMX

Sergeant Dan Marshall said Mr Breithaupt, who lived in La Quinta, had been dead for an unknown time and there were no signs of foul play. A cause of death has not been determined. Mr Breithaupt, who was born in Long Beach, California, was a teenage competitive motocross rider when he saw a group of children riding their bicycles in a dirt lot near his home. He used the inspiration to organise bicycle races on a similar dirt track. He then went on to become a BMX rider, winning several championships, and subsequently as a TV commentator in the early 1980s on ESPN.

Sad to read about the passing of one of the all-time greats.

Jamie Bestwick, 13-time X Games BMX gold medallist

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