Bicyclist killed in hit-and-run incident near Valentine

UPDATED WITH NAME OF VICTIM

VALENTINE, Neb. — The Cherry County Sheriff's Department has reported the death of a Tour de Nebraska bicycle rider in a hit-and-run collision early Saturday morning. The accident occurred approximately 3.5 miles west of Valentine on Highway 20, an area off the designated TDN route.

The state released the name of the bicyclist as Larry Covalciuc, but no other details were immediately available.

The Sheriff's Department expressed their deepest condolences to the rider's family and the entire TDN community.

Further details about the incident are still under investigation, and authorities are urging anyone with information about the collision to come forward.

Some 400 bicyclists took part in this year’s, 36th annual Tour de Nebraska, riding from Springview to Bassett to Ainsworth and Valentine before returning to Springview, covering at least 265 miles.