May 15, 2006 (Banff, AB) – Cyclist Greg Flaaten is recovering after being viciously attacked by a bear on Friday, May 13, 2006. The 41-year-old Flaaten, an employee of the Town of Banff, was riding alone on a trail in Banff National Park on the outskirts of Banff when he was attacked. Two of his colleagues, Robert Earl, Banff’s town manager, and Robin Borstmayer, happened to be biking in the area around 8 pm when they stumbled upon Flaaten’s bicycle and broken helmet.

The pair heard his cries and were able to interrupt the bear’s attack and contact the park warden for assistance. Flaaten is in stable condition after hours of surgery and is expected to go through months of rehabilitation in order to recover from the attack.

The trail where Flaaten was attacked, closed since the incident, is expected to reopen. The black bear responsible for the attack was tracked and shot. Last fall, a Calgary man survived a grizzly attack in the park, while Isabelle Dube of nearby Canmore was fatally mauled by a grizzly in June 2005 while jogging with friends.