A motor vehicle struck and killed a competitor

 A motor vehicle struck and killed a competitor in The Rasputitsa gravel cycling race on Saturday morning. State Polices say 54-year-old Richard Wanstall of Marblehead, Mass., was pedaling south on Brook Road at 9:20 a.m. when he veered into the northbound lane near the Carter Road intersection and collided with an oncoming pickup truck operated by 27-year-old Alex Goss of East Haven. Following the head-on collision, Wanstall was transported by ambulance and declared dead at an area hospital. According to State Police, neither speed nor impairment are believed to be contributing factors. The incident is still under investigation, and anyone who may have witnessed the incident or have information about the collision is asked to contact the Vermont State Police. The course was closed after the accident, and the event was halted. Rasputitsa is a grueling mountain bike race that runs on back roads throughout the area, featuring course lengths of 40, 70 and 100 kilometers that begin and end at Burke Mountain.