Just before 9am on Saturday triathletes Peter McMullan and Jason Stortz were cycling Marshall Mount in preparation for the Port Macquarie Half Iron Man competition.
"I was heading back and he was heading up the hill," Mr McMullan said of the pair's encounter.
"I smiled and waved to him.
"Ten minutes later he was dead."
Pay tribute to Mr Stortz hereMr Stortz, 39, was killed after a collision with a red Ford Falcon on Marshall Mount Rd.
A 17-year-old was charged with dangerous driving occasioning death and failing to stop and assist after a crash causing death.
The teenager appeared in court yesterday but did not apply for bail.
He is due to appear in Campbelltown Local Court next month.
Both Mr McMullan and Mr Stortz were members of the Kiama Triathlon Club.
"He was part of the ironman family," Mr McMullan said of his friend of five years. "Once he had done his first ironman (competition) he was hooked."
Mr McMullan said Mr Stortz's wife, Kylie, who was too distraught to talk to the media yesterday, wanted people to know what a wonderful family man he was.
Mr Stortz had a one-year-old son, Harry, and had given up competing in the sport he loved for a year after his birth to spend as much time as possible with him.
"Jason was always going to take Harry to France to watch the Tour de France," Mr McMullan said.
"He was a good father who gave up a lot of what he loved to do because he had a new son.
"Every time he came home from a cycle or a run he said he wished everyone could feel as good as he did."
Mr McMullan said triathletes would gather at the crash scene to remember Mr Stortz on Saturday at 9am and would organise a permanent memorial to him.
Mr Stortz was affectionately known as Tin Man and could often be seen running between Kiama and Jamberoo or swimming at the Kiama Leisure Centre.
"He always had a wry smile that said: 'We're doing it tough but you've got to keep smiling'," Mr McMullan said.
"I shall never forget that smile on his face."
Mr McMullan said Kiama competitors at the Port Macquarie event would wear black armbands when they compete in two weeks' time.
Fellow triathlete Alan Onions often trained with Mr Stortz.
"I'll remember him as being an awesome competitor and a great bloke," he said.
"He could take a laugh but he was pretty serious too."
Mr Onions said when cycling, his mate could often be seen riding up the front of the pack.
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