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Team Hicks Fire, who raised the 8th highest amount of any team, crosses the finish line during the Ride to Conquer Cancer at Ontario Place in Toronto, June 9, 2013.J.P. MOCZULSKI/The Globe and Mail

Police in Washington state said a Victoria, B.C. teen participating in the Ride to Conquer Cancer died Sunday morning after being hit by a car.

The 16-year-old boy was one of about 2,600 cyclists participating in the fifth annual ride.

Police, in the community of Arlington, north of Seattle, said he made an attempt to pass a pack of fellow riders, but lost control of his bicycle. He went into oncoming traffic and was struck by a car.

"The woman driving the vehicle was going well below the speed limit, and it was just an unfortunate accident," said Kristin Banfield, a spokesperson for the City of Arlington.

Ms. Banfield said paramedics worked on the young man for 40 minutes, but they couldn't save him.

Erik Dierks of the BC Cancer Foundation said ride organizers are mourning.

"To lose one of our riders in doing something that they worked very hard to do is incredibly tragic and we're all deeply saddened," he said.

The teen was riding to support his uncle, who is a cancer survivor. Ms. Banfield said he was riding with his mother and an uncle, and was about 50 kilometres away from the finish line when he died.

Organizers said the teen's name will not be released, as his family is requesting privacy.

The Ride to Conquer Cancer is a two-day event that sees thousands of cyclists riding from Vancouver to Seattle every year to raise money for cancer research.

Riders raised $10.4-million for the BC Cancer Foundation this year.

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