West county area where San Jose woman died bicycling known for crashes

An area of west Sonoma County where a bicyclist went off the road and was killed Monday is well known for crashes, including at least one that was fatal.

Zoe Esther Cheng, 42, of San Jose, was biking west on Hauser Bridge Road northwest of Cazadero just before 1:20 p.m. when she approached a bend in the road near King Ridge Road and did not turn, police said.

She was traveling at an unsafe speed and veered off the road, hitting a downed tree and traveling over a nearby creek. A riding partner found her and called authorities.

Medical personnel pronounced Cheng dead at the scene.

The Sonoma County Coroner Unit on Wednesday afternoon identified Cheng, who a California Highway Patrol official described as an “experienced rider” due to the quality of her bike and equipment.

She had been wearing a helmet, officials said.

The area where she went off the road has long been considered an attraction for cyclists and is featured along the route of the 103-mile GranFondo charity ride, which draws thousands of cyclists to Sonoma County.

Hauser Bridge Road, according to local cycling aficionados, is a white-knuckled descent. Branching off King Ridge and Tin Barn roads in the coastal hills, Hauser Bridge Road winds through oak grassland down into the trees to Hauser Bridge, a metal span over the south fork of the Gualala River.

But the spot, described as easy-to-miss for riders unfamiliar with the terrain, has also proven deadly.

Edward Lund, 54, of Fresno, was killed Oct. 3, 2015, when he lost control around the curve while he competed in that year’s GranFondo race. His death marked the first fatal crash in the event’s history.

Most recently, in 2018, a Lincoln woman competing in the race suffered moderate injuries when she crashed along Hauser Bridge Road.

In 2012, a Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital emergency room doctor was hospitalized after crashing in the same location. And in 2011, three GranFondo riders crashed at the spot, resulting in serious injuries and broken bones.

A Hillsborough woman crashed early in the ride that year and was flown out by helicopter, and later a Canadian couple crashed into each other, requiring two helicopters to land in the area at the same time.

You can reach Staff Writer Madison Smalstig at madison.smalstig@pressdemocrat.com. On X (Twitter) @madi.smals.