Laurence Dollimore
THE body found next to a tree in Andalucia at the weekend belongs to missing US cyclist Matt Opperman, police have confirmed.
The tragic news comes almost a month after the father-of-two, aged 50, vanished during a bike ride in the Segura de la Sierra region of Jaen.
Manuel Fernandez, a government minister in Jaen, confirmed on Monday that the body found on Sunday does belong to Opperman, who vanished on January 25.
Fernandez said documents that Opperman were carrying were able to identify him, after volunteers discovered him next to a bike and tree in Peña del Olivar, Siles.
According to Malaga Hoy, an autopsy was performed this morning but the cause of death has not yet been confirmed, however a violent death has been ruled out.
Hundreds of volunteers joined the search after he went missing, aided by Guardia Civil officers, sniffer dogs, drones and helicopters.
His brother Marc previously told the Olive Press the family were ‘worried beyond belief’ and were on standby to fly over from the US in the event of a ‘significant update’.
Footage previously shared with the Olive Press showed a chopper scouring above trees as Guardia Civil officers looked on with binoculars.
Marc previously told the Olive Press: “Matt’s professional work with various bike companies – Trek Factory Racing, Rocky Mountain Cycles, and now Yeti Cycles – has always had him traveling the globe in support of professional riders.
“He’s been a well-respected and liked head mechanic for many teams, including the Australian MTB team at the Rio Olympics in 2016.
“It was not uncommon for him to spend most the summer race season at a different point on the globe every week. Much of his work has been in Western Europe.
“Our family was originally from Ohio, and Matt had been a resident of Houston, Texas and Longmont, Colorado, where he developed much of his professional and personal cycling career.”
Was the bike also found at the same site?