Giro d'Italia - Weylandt dies in Giro crash

Mon, 09 May 19:10:00 2011

Cycling was in a state of shock after Belgian rider Wouter Weylandt died following a crash during the third stage of the Giro d'Italia.

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TV footage showed the 26-year-old lying on the ground and bleeding heavily from his head after falling off his bike on the descent from the Passo del Bocco.

Race doctor Giovanni Tredici revealed the battle to save Weylandt's life had been a desperate struggle by the roadside with Weylandt suffering multiple injuries including to his skull.

"The attempts to revive the rider lasted 45 minutes," he said.

"I was the first to intervene, I reached the scene barely 30 seconds after he had crashed, and I was quickly joined by other experts, including a team doctor.

"But the situation was very serious, we could not do anything despite our best efforts."

Zomegnan refused to reveal exact details of how the accident happened, saying it was being investigated by a magistrate who was talking to riders who had witnessed Weylandt's fatal crash.

He did say they had kept news of his death secret for a short time so that family members could be informed.

Reports had suggestted that Weylandt's left pedal had locked, leaving the rider unable to prevent himself from tumbling around 20 metres off the side of the road.

The lie of the land made it difficult for the emergency helicopter to reach him and airlift him to hospital for treatment.

Doctors at the scene cut off his helmet and performed CPR treatment but in vain.

Helmets have been mandatory in cycling since the death of Kazakhstan's Andrei Kivilev during the Paris-Nice race in 2003. Italian Thomas Casarotto died following a crash during last year's Giro del Friuli.

The last rider to die in a crash in a Grand Tour was Italy's Fabio Casartelli during the 1995 Tour de France.

Weylandt claimed his biggest career win when he won the third stage of last year's Giro.

"Today, our team mate and friend Wouter Weylandt passed away after a crash on the 3rd stage of the Giro d’Italia," Leopard-Trek General Manager Brian Nygaard said in a statement.

"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 results from Tuesday's fourth stage are unlikely to count with riders planning a tribute.

"We will respect whatever decision the riders and Wouter's team, Leopard-Trek, will take," race director Angelo Zomegnan told a news conference.

"It is up to them to decide. But there will be no festive music or the usual celebrations, whatever happens. This is a press conference I wish I had never had to give."

Traditionally after a death in a race, a minute's silence is held at the start of the following day, the peloton will tackle the stage at a slow pace and the deceased rider's team mates come to the front of the bunch for the final kilometre.

The process is known as neutralisation.

Giro: news Weylandt

Reuters

Comment 243 - 262 of 262

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  1. Condolences to all Family and friends. I hope they can­ take a small comfort from knowing that he died doing­ what he loved and lived for. Very few people get to be­ remembered for their true love of life and vocation,­ may he be commemorated with something that can be used­ a s his legacy.

    From Miranda G, on Wed 11 May 17:06

  2. they should consider using helmets like those used for­ motorbike riders

    From sameh w, on Wed 11 May 7:13

  3. This kid was a great rider. The only solace is that he­ died doing a think he loved to do, cycling. If there is­ an afterlife, Im sure he just finished his first­ celestial 100 mile ride. RIP. God bless his family.

    From Will, on Wed 11 May 6:51

  4. R.I.P. My thoughts go out to his freinds, family and­ his team. Very sad day..........

    From Gareth, on Wed 11 May 6:11

  5. Dear Family, Leopard-Trek,
    My deepest condolences for­ your loss.

    Dear Leopard-Trek team,
    Please, may you­ carry on the legacy of Wouter Weylandt by wearing and­ racing
    in the jersey bearing b/w face photo of late­ Wouter through the entire Giro Italia 2011?

    Truly­ yours,
    Krystian Pac,

    Tarnow,­ Poland

    ----------------------------------------

    From Here Iam, on Wed 11 May 0:08

  6. Very very sad news bless him , regards to his family­ and god bless.

    From Smudger, on Tue 10 May 22:54

  7. anybody know anything about the report of weylandts­ left pedal locking , this if true needs to be looked at­ to prvent any repeat, also why are most helmets nearly­ useless for racing

    From , on Tue 10 May 22:36

  8. very very sad time for our glorious sport , i shed­ tears when reading about the tragic loss of Weylandt.­ may i also urge people to PRESS THE REPORT ABUSE BUTTON­ ON THE IDIOTS WHO CANNOT BE RIGHT IN THE HEAD posting­ rubbish, it is nothing but an insult to weylandt and­ cycling .

    From , on Tue 10 May 22:10

  9. A big big loss to not only the cycling world but to his­ friends family and expectant baby. RIP wouty!!

    From Graham, on Tue 10 May 19:36

  10. There are some pretty sick and disrespectful people on­ here ! Think of the family !

    From hayley, on Tue 10 May 19:32

  11. I am a speedway fan, not particularly a lover of­ cycling, but at the end of the day these are all­ sportsmen. Thankfully it is rare to have death and­ serious injury in cycling but this story has shocked me­ to the core. In nearly 50 years of watching speedway I­ have witnessed death and serious injury, but in a way­ that is to be expected given the sheer speed and danger­ of the sport.

    RIP Woulter and may you rest peacefully­ in the knowledge that you thrilled thousands of people­ along the way.

    From dreadedpickles, on Tue 10 May 19:09

  12. I CANNOT BELIVE WHAT I AM READING.

    I WAS GUTTED­ YESTERDAY WATCHING THE COVERAGE ON EUROSPORT , BUT WHAT­ I AM READING HEAR IS PURE FILTH.
    PLEASE ALAN AND­ ANYBODY ELSE WHO IS TEMPTED TO REPLY TO GEORGE SINCLAIR­ ( IF THAT IS HIS REAL NAME) DONT!!!!!!
    ALL YOU WILL DO­ IS BRING YOURSELF DOWN TO NEAR HIS LEVEL.

    RIP­ WOUTER.

    BUDDHA

    From steve15080, on Tue 10 May 18:34

  13. very sad. i never saw him race, but he sounds like a­ great team rider.
    the team should do him justice, and­ leave the tour!
    life is fragile, and sport should not­ come first!
    and about helmets..i've crashed­ numerous times over years in pro races, and they have­ kept me safe
    this young chap, as i understand, flew off­ the road and tumbled 30m..horrible way to go!

    no way­ any helmet would be able to save the head, with that in­ mind. our heads are friken heavy and our necks are­ poorly designed for tumbles and speed movements..so you­ ppl going on about better helmets, should give it a­ rest..its a choice, and we know the risks!
    Bless his­ family and friends, may your memories remember when he­ was!

    From dave, on Tue 10 May 18:24

  14. Firstly I send my sincere sympathy to all of­ Wouter's family and friends. It is most sad when­ one of these tragedies happen especially to a young lad­ who was about to be a father. I am now an old man and­ have seen many tragedies but they never fail to stir me­ when all I can do is to say I am so sorry for you­ all.

    BUT SO FAR AS THESE TERRIBLE PEOPLE WHO SEE FIT­ TO WRITE SUCH UNACCEPTABLE RUDENESS AND DISRESPECT I­ TOTALLY AGREE WITH DAVIDE DELLORTO. FOR GOODNESS SAKE­ WHY DO YOU NOT BAN SUCH SCUM, GIVE THEM A RED CARD AND­ BAN THEM FROM FUTURE HORRIBLE ENTRIES. ANY DECENT­ PERSON TREATS THEM WITH REVULSION.

    BISTOKID.

    From hollybush, on Tue 10 May 18:19

  15. RIP. So sad. Condolences to his friends and family and­ of course, team mates.

    From Karen, on Tue 10 May 18:06

  16. It's an awful shame. I guess it's one of those­ things that will happen in any sport with an element of­ danger in it but won't make it any easier for the­ family so my heart goes out to them.

    CAN YAHOO DO­ ANYTHING ABOUT IDIOTS LIKE GEORGE SINCLAIR ON HERE­ PLEASE, PATHETIC CARRY ON?

    From Paddy Kiwi, on Tue 10 May 18:03

  17. Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi rajioon. This means we­ belong to God and to Him do we return.
    My prayers go­ out to his family.
    A very sad week for sport reminds us­ to go out there and appreciate our lives.

    From Zahid, on Tue 10 May 17:57

  18. poor bloke, thoughts to family. RIP

    From Tyrus K1dd, on Tue 10 May 17:14

  19. I have to say that losing someone like this due to a­ head injury suggests the head gear should be­ improved.

    Condolensces to his family and friends.

    From LJ, on Tue 10 May 16:58

  20. Beverley Spencer is absolutely right. The people who­ have made unpleasant comments might like to consider­ how Wouter's relatives, friends and team mates­ would feel if they read such nastiness - and to­ consider if they would like it if someone made­ similarly unpleasant remarks following the death of­ someone they loved. I cannot understand the­ motivation of anyone who would do this.

    I am an avid­ cycling fan, and my middle son was watching the­ coverage yesterday when this happened. My thoughts­ and prayers go to Wouter's family, friends and team­ mates.

    To answer gunnersforlife's question - in­ races like the Giro and the Tour de France, the roads­ are closed to all other traffic during a stage, in­ essence turning them into a race track, so it is not as­ if they are racing amongst cars etc. The team cars­ and officials cars are carefully controlled by the race­ officials, to ensure the riders' safety.

    From hortin, on Tue 10 May 16:56
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