Mr Ruygrok - who was recently engaged to be married to Verity Zoerner - was a young law graduate who had a strong passion for politics and had worked for both state and federal MPs before joining Ms Upton's office. Nicholas Ruygrok and his fiancee Verity Zoerner. Credit:Facebook "Nick was gentle, smart and popular with a bright future in front of him. He is sorely missed," Ms Upton said in a statement. "My thoughts and prayers go out to Nick's fiancee, family and to his many friends," she said. Bruce Notley-Smith, the NSW member for Coogee, said Mr Ruygrok - his former staffer - was "amazingly talented [and] hardworking".

"We are all absolutely devastated," Mr Notley-Smith said in a Facebook post. Police at the scene of a fatal crash between cyclist Nicholas Ruygrok and a car in Maroubra. Credit:Dallas Kilponen His comment was one of several Facebook tributes to Mr Ruygrok, as friends and colleagues tried to come to terms with the shock death. "Oh this is devastating! Nick was a kind and generous man, destined for great things. What a great loss," read a comment on Mr Notley-Smith's post. Police at the scene of the fatal collision. Credit: Dallas Kilponen

"I am shaking as I write this. It is something I never wanted to read. My heart is heavy with sadness at losing a fellow rider," Todd Vogel posted on the Dulwich Hill Bicycle Club Facebook page. One man who was riding with the group at the time described it as a "terrible, terrible accident". Nicholas Ruygrok, as staffer in the NSW Attorney-General's office, has been remembered as an "amazingly talented" and driven young man. Credit:Facebook "Devastated for the poor guy's fiancee, friend and family," he wrote online. Douglas Kirkham, the president of the Dulwich Hill Bicycle Club, said club members were on their regular Wednesday morning ride to La Perouse when the crash occurred.

Nicholas Ruygrok was on an organised ride with the Dulwich Hill Bicycle Club when he was killed. Credit:Facebook The group of riders had met in Marrickville at 6am and were riding east along Fitzgerald Avenue when Mr Ruygrok, who was believed to have been a relatively new member of the club, was involved in the collision. "The other riders are devastated and it's still quite raw," Mr Kirkham said. "We pride ourselves on safety. It's something that's very, very important to us and it's something that we take really seriously. "Our thoughts are with the rider's family and friends, and all involved in this terrible incident," he said.

The Dulwich Hill Bicycle Club, which is one of the oldest cycling clubs in Australia and has about 500 members, also released a statement saying it was "greatly saddened" by the rider's death and would co-operate with the police investigation. "As club members know, [the club] prides itself on safety and will of course review its practices in the wake of the incident. As more facts come to light, the club will provide more information," the statement said. "For now, our thoughts are with the deceased rider's family. The club will offer whatever assistance possible at this terrible time." Police said the 64-year-old male driver of the car was not injured. He underwent mandatory drug and urine testing. Inspector Chris Whalley at Eastern Beaches Local Area Command said early indications suggest the driver was not at fault.

"It's just an awful, very unfortunate accident," he said. Officers from the Eastern Beaches Local Area Command closed off the area early on Wednesday and erected a tent in the middle of the road. Anyone who saw the crash and has not already spoken to police has been urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.