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news
Oude Kwaremont cobblesIrishman dies during Tour of Flanders cycling event in Belgium
An Irish man has collapsed and died while taking part in the Tour of Flanders Cyclo event with his son yesterday.
The 56 year old man, who has not yet been names, was riding the 129km version of the course and was already more than 100km into the ride when he collapsed while ascending the infamous Oude Kwaremont hill.
Organisers said that he had shown no signs of ill-health, and was taking part in the event for the 14th time. It was his son’s fourth attempt at the course.
The man was helped by medical teams on site, who were unable to save him.
The course lengths range from 71km to 227km, taking in the iconic cobbled roads of the region. The event has been held for 25 years, taking place the day before the Tour of Flanders professional cycling race.
road.cc’s David Arthur, who was at the event, said: “There were a lot of crashes today, and I saw people being stretchered off the cobbles into waiting ambulances.
“I don’t recall ever seeing so many crashes here. I’ve no idea if there’s something going on."
It is the first time in the 25 year history of the event that a participant has died.
Local news website Nieuwsblad quoted the race organiser as saying: “The victim rode the Tour in support of his son (who) immediately got help from a support team and was subsequently brought directly to his father in the hospital. This tragic incident has put a damper on this anniversary edition of the Tour.”
It is believed the man suffered a heart attack.
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7 comments
This is a very sad story and I feel for the family.
As far as the ride goes though, I thought it was well organised and good spirited.
My experience was of free flowing and generally courteous riding in what was, after all, a massive field of 16,000. I had to get off on the Koppenberg and the Patterberg through weight of numbers, but that just part of the experience. I saw less dangerous riding and fewer crashes than my other sportive experiences in the UK and France.
This is a very sad story and I feel for the family.
As far as the ride goes though, I thought it was well organised and good spirited.
My experience was of free flowing and generally courteous riding in what was, after all, a massive field of 16,000. I had to get off on the Koppenberg and the Patterberg through weight of numbers, but that just part of the experience. I saw less dangerous riding and fewer crashes than my other sportive experiences in the UK and France.
RIP - Too young but these things happen, better to go out doing what you love.
@ JoeyL - i rode the full distance yesterday and did see no crahses, also a heart attack and possible crashes in any case are unrelated.
I couldn`t ride the kwaremont because of this and it was subsequently bussier on the patersberg, as to which i had to dismount because of walkers. (or be a total arshole and shout my way through, which some managed.)
As such the mass event of the our of flanders is becoming a little to big for it`s final, and the organisation needs to think about solutions.
Tragedy for the rider's family and friends. I was done before noon so didn't hear anything about it until I got home.
I couldn't ride the Paterberg but that was down to my strength and a knee injury more than the people. With Flanders, a route without narrow cobbled (or poorly paved) climbs would hardly be the Ronde it'd just be a "Tour of some place in Belgium" so you have to accept there's some walking. I got going pretty early so all climbs were clear enough to ride and I only had two instances when I had to yell at someone to get them out of my way; one because the guy was looking down trying to work out what gear he was in and the other when someone stepped off and decided the gutter was the right place to walk despite a train of people coming up that way. A friend was a couple of hours behind but made it up the Koppenberg and Paterberg dodging walkers as he went.
I didn't see a single crash. That said I saw LOADS of crashes at Ride London. I think the start-when-you-want approach to the Ronde means less bunching. There were a LOT less twatty attitudes from riders with far less pushing past than I experienced in the UK which, again, contributes significantly to fewer crashes.
Poor guy and his family. Sad news.
RIP
I agree with David. I've ridden Flanders the past three years and there was definitely something noticeably different this year. The standard of riding was pretty poor.