First-year professional cyclist Tijl De Decker, winner of the U23 Paris-Roubaix in May, died at the age of 22 following a training accident, his team Lotto-Dstny announced.
“It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Tijl De Decker, following his training accident on Wednesday,” the team wrote on social media. “The team is heartbroken by this news.”
De Decker collided with the rear of a car during a training ride. He was taken to hospital in Antwerp where he underwent surgery. Later he was placed in an induced coma.
He had signed a professional contract with Lotto-Dstny at the beginning of July.
“We were convinced of Tijl’s potential,” said the Belgian team’s French manager Stephane Heulot.
“His move to the pros was a logical evolution. Unfortunately, we’ll never get there. We’ll remember Tijl as a warm and gentle boy.”
In August 2019, another young Belgian with the Lotto team, Bjorg Lambrecht, died after falling and hitting a concrete structure on the Tour of Poland.
Swiss rider Gino Mader, of Bahrain Victorious, died in June after a crash on a mountain descent in the Tour de Suisse.
