Earlier this week, we reported on 31-year-old Italian cyclist Sonny Colbrelli’s collapse at the finish line in the opening stage of the Volta in Spain.
Doctors confirmed the champion cyclist suffered a ‘cardiac arrhythmia.’
The cycling world had faced another tragedy days earlier that didn't pick up much media coverage.
Amateur 28-year-old Belgian cyclist Cédric Baekeland died from a heart attack while training in Mallorca.
https://twitter.com/backtolife_2022/status/1508303446398615555
Heart breaking 💔 too many, too young!!!! https://t.co/UZotT4qspK
— Mulan (@Mulan71868503) March 27, 2022
The promising rider was training on the island for the Slypskapelle race in his home land, according to Cycling Magazine.
His death took place just days before Italian cyclist Sonny Colbrelli suffered a cardiac emergency following the second stage of the Vuelta a Catalunya. The European champion collapsed after the race and was rushed to hospital, and is thankfully recovering.
According to many, Baekeland had a good future ahead of him in the racing world, racing for Dovy Keukens-FCC, where he finished second in the 2019 edition of Beselare-Zonnebeke.
Before he died, he told his teammate he was not feeling well and was going to rest at the hotel.
After arriving in his room, he suffered a heart attack and the doctors were unable to revive him.
EuroWeekly News highlighted his sports career:
Mr Baekeland, from the Belgian city of Roeselare, rode for the Boby & Bike-BMB Boekhouding-The Rock Real Estate cycling team and had been on the Mediterranean island since March 12.
Baekeland and his teammates were preparing for the start of the Belgian cycling season, which begins on March 26 in Slypskapelle, Belgium.
However, on March 14, Baekeland suffered a heart attack. He managed to wake up his roommate before he collapsed and was sadly unable to be resuscitated.
According to Belgian news outlet Nieuws Blad, the young cyclist only recently took up the sport after playing football for both KSV Roeselare and Club Roeselare.
Join the conversation!
Please share your thoughts about this article below. We value your opinions, and would love to see you add to the discussion!