The world of cycling has been stunned by the sad news that Belgian cyclist Wouter Weylandt died after crashing during Monday’s third stage of the Giro d’Italia.
Just 26-year-old, the Leopard-Trek rider fell at high speed and lay motionless on the roadside as paramedics tried to resuscitate him using CPR and cardiac massage.
“Despite immediate treatment there was nothing we could do,” doctor Giovanni Tredici told Italian television. “He died from a fracture to the front of his skull. We arrived at the scene 30 seconds after the crash. We tried for 40 minutes to resuscitate him.”
The tragedy has sparked a worldwde outpouring of grief and messages of condolence for Weylandt, whose girlfriend is pregnant. Seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong said on Twitter: “I’m shocked and saddened. May he rest in peace.”
The family of the Belgian cyclist Wouter Weylandt has been awarded the prize money for the Quarto dei Mille to Livorno leg of the race. Wouter Weylandt’s girlfriend, Anne Sophie, who is expecting a daughter in September, will receive 100,000 euro. The decision was unanimously adopted by all the teams in the race and approved by the race’s organizers.
CYCLING WORLD UNITES TO SUPPORT PREGNANT GIRLFRIEND
