Team Leopard Trek cyclist Wouter Weylandt has died at the age of 26 after crashing during the Giro d’Italia.
The Belgian crashed at high speed descent from the Passo del Bocco on Stage Three of the racefrom Reggio Emilia to Rapallo.
Television shots showed the rider bleeding heavily and lying unconscious on the ground following the crash, as doctors began cut Weylandt’s helmet and administer shots of adrenaline and CPR treatment at the scene of the accident.
Doctor Giovanni Tredici told Rai Television that “despite immediate treatment there was nothing we could do.” The cyclist was quickly airlifted to hospital but was declared dead 25 minutes after his arrival.
The late cyclist had moved to Team Leopard Trek following six years at with Quick Step. Weylandt had also finished first in Stage Three of last year’s Giro d’Italia. In the wake of the accident, race organisers today nixed the the presentation for stage winner Angel Vicioso as a mark of respect for Weylandt.
UCI ProTeam HTC Highroad cyclist Mark Cavendish tweeted his 31,000 followers afterwards that ‘things like this shouldn’t happen. Absolutely sick to the stomach. My thoughts are with his family. RIP Wouter Weylandt.’
Leopard Trek have also tweeted their condolences, with a post to followers that read ‘We lost a great team mate and a true friend today. Our thoughts are with Wouter’s family and friends.’
