Dead cyclist 'academic superstar'

Dr Hans Edge is described as an enthusiastic and talented teacher who was passionate about his work and his students. Photo / Supplied

The husband of a woman whose car was in collision with a male cyclist as she was turning into her driveway, killing him instantly, says the family are devastated about what happened.

"Academic superstar" Johann ("Hans") Edge, 36, a father of three young children, died when his bike hit the rear passenger side of a Holden Commodore as he was riding down a hill on Pakuranga Rd, Pakuranga, about 7.15pm on Thursday.

Two colleagues from Auckland University - where Dr Edge was a lecturer in sport and exercise - were on their bikes about 20m behind him.

The driver of the Commodore, mother of three Nadine Koroheke, 42, was driving home from a dairy in nearby Gossamer Drive and had pulled out to turn into her driveway when the accident occurred.

Mrs Koroheke's husband, Jason Koroheke, said yesterday that after the collision, his wife ran into the house, at the end of the long driveway, and told him to call 111 as a cyclist had been hit.

She grabbed some blankets to put over Dr Edge and ran back to where he was lying.

Mr Koroheke said the police interviewed his wife for several hours on Thursday night.

Three friends picked her up yesterday morning to comfort her.

"It's terrible. Nobody wants to go on a bike ride and not get home," Mr Koroheke said.

"She's feeling it. She didn't sleep all night. She said, 'I just want to lock myself in my room.' She didn't want to leave the house this morning.

"We have the utmost sympathy for the family, without a doubt. It's terrible what's happened. If we could turn back the clock 24 hours, we would."

Mr Koroheke said his wife did not see the cyclist as she was turning.

Dr Edge's brother Kurt Muller said Hans was born in the Manawatu and worked at a number of universities, including in Sydney and Perth.

Last year, he moved to Auckland with his wife, Emma, and their children Madison, 7, Jacob, 3, and Bella, 5 months, from Palmerston North, where he was a lecturer at Massey University.

Associate Professor Greg Anson, head of Auckland University's department of sport and exercise science, said Dr Edge's work had been recognised in more than 20 scholarly publications.

He was a member of several groups, including the UK Physiological Society, the NZ Physiological Society and the Australian Association for Exercise and Sport Science.

"Dr Hans Edge was a young academic superstar whose career was taking off," Professor Anson said.

"He was an enthusiastic and talented teacher, passionate about his research and his students.

"The department ... is quite small and more like a family than a department. Although we are in shock and grieving deeply at the loss of a hugely valued family member, our thoughts at this time are with [his family]."

Dr Edge was last year awarded a Marsden Fund research grant, one of the most prestigious awards for a young scientist to gain, Professor Anson said.

Constable Steve Carey, of the Counties Manukau serious crash unit, said it might be about two months before police decide whether any charges would be laid.