Cyclist Wouter Weylandt dies after Giro d'Italia crash


Recommended Posts

Cyclist Wouter Weylandt dies after Giro d'Italia crash

Belgian cyclist Wouter Weylandt has died after crashing during Monday's third stage of the Giro d'Italia.

The Leopard-Trek rider fell at high speed during a descent about 20km (12.4 miles) from the finish of the stage from Reggio Emilia to Rapallo.

The 26-year-old lay motionless on the roadside as paramedics tried to resuscitate him.

"Despite immediate treatment there was nothing we could do," doctor Giovanni Tredici told Italian television.

"Weylandt was the victim of a fall and we are still trying to reconstruct the dynamics of what happened.

"We tried for 40 minutes to resuscitate him."

The crash had left Weylandt bloodied and unconscious and requiring cardiac massage.

He received emergency medical treatment by race doctors and was scheduled to be airlifted to hospital but had to wait as an emergency helicopter looked for a suitable landing spot.

Leopard Trek spokesman Tim Vanderjeugd said: "I can confirm the death of Wouter Weylandt.

"He was taken to hospital but had already died at the scene."

Isle of Man cyclist Mark Cavendish said on Twitter: "Things like this shouldn't happen. Absolutely sick to the stomach. My thoughts are with his family. RIP Wouter Weylandt."

Team Sky rider Russell Downing, who is also taking part in the race, told Twitter: "after seeing that i feel sick inside...Rip wouter...u will be sadly missed. lost for words."

Weylandt moved to the Leopard-Trek team at the start of the season after turning professional with Quick Step in 2005.

Among his team-mates are Australian Stuart O'Grady and the Schleck brothers Andy and Frank.

A further statement from Leopard Trek general manager Brian Nygaard read: "Today, our team-mate and friend Wouter Weylandt passed away after a crash on the third stage of the Giro d'Italia.

"The team is left in a state of shock and sadness and we send all our thoughts and deepest condolences to the family and friends of Wouter.

"This is a difficult day for cycling and for our team, and we should all seek support and strength in the people close to us."

The International Cycling Union added in a statement: "The UCI has heard of Wouter Weylandt's death with great sadness and president Pat McQuaid's thoughts and prayers go to the rider's family and friends, but also to the riders, who will overcame the shock to start to race again tomorrow."

The podium celebration at the end of the race was cancelled by organisers.

Weylandt was the first rider killed in a crash in one of cycling's three main tours since Italian rider Fabio Casartelli in the 1995 Tour de France.

He is the fourth cyclist to die during the Giro and the first in 25 years. Orfeo Ponsin died in 1952, Juan Manuel Santisteban in 1976 and Emilio Ravasio in 1986.

Source: BBC Sport

This topic is now closed to further replies.
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Posts

    • Minecraft Chase the Skies update and Vibrant Visuals graphics overhaul lands next week by Pulasthi Ariyasinghe The second major game update of the year for Minecraft is almost here. Mojang today announced that its next Game Drop, Chase the Skies, is landing on June 17. Alongside it, the highly anticipated graphics overhaul, dubbed Vibrant Visuals, will be available too, making the day a rather big occasion for Minecraft fans. The Chase the Skies update has a large number of gameplay features and content, but one of the biggest is the expansion of the Ghast. Now, players will be able to find Happy Ghasts as a tameable mob, letting up to five players ride them on journeys across the skies. To get one, players will have to find small, dehydrated Ghasts near fossil structures in the Nether, then bring it to the overworld and feed it plenty of water. It is also possible to craft dried Ghasts from Nether materials. Other features of this update include a handy player locator bar, better leads functionality, craftable saddles, a new music disc, and more. As for the Vibrant Visuals upgrade, Mojang is touting a visual refresh that lets players witness how lights and shadows affect the Minecraft world. "Fly high with your happy ghast to watch the sunrise reflect on the rippling ocean, make art with shifting shadows, descend into dark depths, or simply sit back and enjoy the vivid beauty of each biome," says the studio. "With updated in-game visuals you’ll see how light and shadow transform the Overworld – water reflects, forests become shaded, fog drifts, and waterfalls glimmer in the light." The currently supported devices for Vibrant Visuals include Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC, as well as Android (Android: Adreno 640, Mali-G68, Mali-G77, or Xclipse 530 or higher) and iOS (A12 or M1 or higher.)   Unfortunately, the Vibrant Visuals upgrade will only be available on the Bedrock Edition of Minecraft, at least for now. Mojang has said that it plans to bring the visual overhaul to the Java Edition of Minecraft at a later date, but no information or release window has been announced just yet.
    • Once people get use to the square-ish case, they'll probably switch the display to square as well.
    • Why would you think it's not enabled all the time? Because they said so?
    • $100 billion of the $200 billion is in N.Y. State over the upcoming 20 years plus. Obviously 20+ year spending plans are subject to change.
  • Recent Achievements

    • One Month Later
      POR2GAL4EVER earned a badge
      One Month Later
    • One Year In
      Orpheus13 earned a badge
      One Year In
    • One Month Later
      Orpheus13 earned a badge
      One Month Later
    • Week One Done
      Orpheus13 earned a badge
      Week One Done
    • Week One Done
      serfegyed earned a badge
      Week One Done
  • Popular Contributors

    1. 1
      +primortal
      560
    2. 2
      ATLien_0
      255
    3. 3
      +Edouard
      163
    4. 4
      +FloatingFatMan
      158
    5. 5
      Michael Scrip
      110
  • Tell a friend

    Love Neowin? Tell a friend!