Our friend and colleague Pat Malach sadly passed away a few days ago. In the time since we have seen the cycling community pay their respects with tributes for a man who dedicated himself to the sport.
Former WorldTour rider Ian Boswell knew Pat better than most. The pair first met when Ian was a junior rider in Oregon, and they stayed in close contact over the years. As Ian made his way to Europe and the pro ranks, Pat too began to attend some of the biggest races in the world. Even when they weren't at races they still kept in contact and the pair were a prime example of how to riders, journalists and everyone else can build lasting relationships through the sport they love.
Ian now races on the burgeoning gravel scene in the USA with Wahoo and came forward and asked if he could write this personal tribute, and we're so proud to be able to share these words with you, our readers.
Thank you Ian. Pat would have been immensely proud of you and what you have accomplished.
Oregon always had a tight-knit cycling community and the riders and network there always felt like my family.
In 2008, a website and blog popped up called Oregon Cycling Action. The man behind it: Pat Malach. Before I knew about the wider web of cycling journalism, I knew about Oregon Cycling Action. This was my world, these were the riders I knew and the races in which I was participating. My first-ever phone interview was with Pat for his Oregon Cycling Action blog. I quickly became friendly with Pat, as did my mom, dad, and brother, and we crossed paths with Pat at races all across the state.
As time went on, my cycling career began to take me further and further away from my roots as a junior racer in Oregon. I soon joined bigger teams, went to bigger races, and began reading more recognized cycling news websites. Pat’s career was on the move as well. In many ways, our careers mirrored each other.
Every time I moved up the ranks, so did Pat. First, he covered domestic racing, then WorldTour racing. Before I knew it, I had signed a contract with Team Sky, and which journalist did I find myself speaking with but Pat Malach.
Having built a relationship over the years, and more importantly, having come from the same state and taken parallel paths, I was always brought back to my junior days of racing in Oregon when I spoke with Pat.
He was a genuinely honest and positive soul who got into cycling and journalism for all the right reasons. Always a pleasure to speak with, we did our respective jobs, but when the mic went off, we talked about home, about Oregon. I can’t speak for Pat, but I like to believe he felt proud like me, having both come from small towns in Oregon and moving to the top tier of the sport both doing what we loved most.
Many things changed over my career as a cyclist, however one thing was always constant - I was always reconnecting with Pat.
Pat, thank you for all that you did for me, for cycling and for being a tremendous part of my own (along with so many others) journey in cycling. Your smiles, character, and written words will live on in all those you touched. I’ll see you back in Oregon.
Ian.
