Nepali rider drowns during Sri Lanka mountain bike race

A mountain biker on Wednesday drowned after falling into a river during an international race in Sri Lanka, the police said.

The Nepali rider died after falling into the Mahaweli River at Kuda Oya, 230 kilometre southeast of the capital Colombo.

"We have recovered the body from a nearby reservoir," a police official in the area said.

The rider is kept unnamed until his family has been informed.

The event, known as ‘Rumble in the Jungle’ was cancelled after the shocking tragedy, the host Sri Lankan Airlines announced.

A total of 39 competitors participated in the race, mostly from the UK, Germany, Italy and Switzerland.