Zak Carr, well known for his tandem records and many victories in time trials, road races and on the track, died after he was hit by a car on the A11 in Norfolk yesterday morning.

Zak was very talented against the clock having just won the Rudy Project TT series. He also often featured on the podium of national championships and had just started riding the track on his tandem as a pilot for Paralympians. He won the odd road race too, usually in true tester’s style – off the front, on his own. He was also a regular Tandem competitor with his wife Bev. But it was with his usual tandem partner, Glen Taylor, that they broke all the British Tandem TT records. Then in perhaps their finest performance, they broke the Tandem World Hour record at Manchester two years ago.

A vivid memory of Zak and Glen (the fastest tandem pair I’ve ever seen) was at the Duo Normand a couple of years ago, they raced into the finish area in Marigny town centre at an amazing speed, all you could hear was Zak screaming at Glen to brake before the corner after the finish, the French crowd loved it.

After the crash yesterday, which involved a car, Zak was taken to the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital. The accident happened on the northbound carriageway of the trunk road between Wymondham and the Thickthorn roundabout at about 07.30 am.

Zak was 30 and lived in Attleborough. He was always chatty and friendly despite being a ‘big star’ of bike racing and a tough competitor. Our thoughts are with his family and friends.