Rapallo, Italy (NEWSTABULUOUS) – The final stage of the Giro d’Italia bike race in Rapallo, Italy, ended tragically with Belgian cyclist, Wouter Weylandt, being killed.
He is the first racer to die in a major race in 16 years – Italian rider, Fabio Casartelli, died during the 1995 Tour de France.
Weylandt, 26, fell in the last 13 miles of the race on the descent of the day’s first climb, the Passo del Bocco. Officials are saying his left pedal got stuck in a wall on the side of the road causing him to fall. The crash took down a few others, but doctors were unable to revive Weylandt as he lay bleeding heavily. Giro doctor Giovanni Tredici said:
“We arrived immediately as we were behind his group. He was unconscious with a fracture of the skull base and facial damage. After 40 minutes of cardiac massage, we had to suspend the resuscitation because there was nothing more we could do.”
The podium ceremonies were cancelled out of respect for the 26-year-old-Belgian.
Angel Vicioso (Androni Giocatolli) took his first Grand Tour stage win, David Millar (Garmin Cervelo) came in second, and Movistar’s Pablo Lastras came in third place.
photo:washingtonpost.com
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