Unknown why five-time Cadbury marathon winner and nurse Colin Oliver came off his mountain bike

A coroner has released his findings into the death of a Tasmanian marathon champion and Royal Hobart Hospital nurse. DETAILS >>>

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IT CANNOT be determined how a fit and experienced mountain bike rider fell from his bicycle at a popular southern Tasmania bike park which ultimately led to his death, says a coroner.

Coroner Simon Cooper handed down his findings into the death of Colin Jamie Oliver, 48, who died on May 15, 2018 at the Royal Hobart Hospital after an accident at the Maydena Bike Park.

The registered nurse who worked on the on the neurological ward was considered extremely fit and an experienced mountain bike rider.

Mr Oliver was a five-time Cadbury Marathon winner and served as race director for several years.

Colin Oliver heading for the finish line to win his fifth consecutive Cadbury Marathon in 2005.

On March 1, 2018, Mr Oliver went to the bike park by himself and was on the Tyenna Trail when he came off his bike, but his fall was not witnessed and time of the fall was also not known.

He was found by two men and was soon after taken to hospital by the Westpac rescue helicopter.

Mr Oliver suffered from multiple injuries, including critical head injuries and “despite the very best treatment,” died on May 15.

Mr Cooper wrote it was not until the local Maydena police officer returned to work on March 5 that any investigation into the crash began.

Riders coming down a track at the Maydena Bike Park. Picture: SAM ROSEWARNE.

“The scene had not been secured – no physical evidence remained at the scene which might have assisted investigators (and ultimately me) to determine how and why the crash occurred,” Mr Cooper wrote.

“Nothing about the construction of the track, at least in the area where Mr Oliver crashed, appears to have played any particular role in the happening of the crash.”

The “gravity-focused” park had opened only a few weeks before Mr Oliver’s accident and Mr Oliver was using what was considered one of the easiest trails in the park.

Colin Oliver with his partner Amanda Noye. Picture: SUPPLIED

There was no suggestion the trail was unsafe.

Mr Cooper said the evidence did not allow him to find precisely why Mr Oliver fell from his bike or how long it was before he was found.

Originally published as Unknown why five-time Cadbury marathon winner and nurse Colin Oliver came off his mountain bike