The resumption of the cycling season in Belgium after the containment and the Covid-19 pandemic lasted just over 10 km. This Saturday, on the Wortegem-Petegem race, a young runner of 20 years, Niels de Vriendt of the VDM-Trawobo team died.
Located between Waregem and Oudenaarde, where the finish of the Tour of Flanders is usually judged, the race is reserved for the best amateurs in the country. First race after Covid-19 in the kingdom, it also had Belgian champion Tim Merlier, teammate of Mathieu Van der Poel in the Alpecin-Fenix team, at the start. In Belgium, it’s a test that counts.
Only, after only 13 km of racing, Niels de Vriendt fell heavily. The reasons are still unknown. The young man had a cardiac arrest without it being known whether he did it before or after his fall. The first witnesses affirm that his fall, which occurred in a straight line, was violent enough to cause a head trauma.
Rescue workers tried in vain to revive him. The organizers have decided to cancel the race. “It’s sad that the first race ends like this,” said pro racer Sep Vanmarcke, also at the start. It was a wise decision to stop the race, because it is secondary to run when a colleague is fighting for life. “
