Organizers of the Tour of Poland reduced the effects of Tuesday’s arranged fourth stage following the fatality of Belgian biker Bjorg Lambrecht.
” Out of respect for Bjorg, the organizers with the authorities and the teams have made a decision that the 4th phase of the Excursion of Poland will certainly be cancelled,” stated a statement on the Trip internet site.
Tuesday’s phase course has actually been minimized to 133.7 km as well as the last laps have been lowered to one in agreement with Lotto-Soudal, according to a note on the race internet site.
It’s not specifically clear about what occurred in Monday’s heartbreaking crash that declared the life of the second-year Belgian pro. According to some reports, the 22-year-old died after ramming a concrete structure in Monday’s 3rd phase on Monday on a reasonably flat section of road. He was resuscitated on the spot, then absorbed an important problem to a medical facility in the southern city of Rybnik, where he passed away on the operating room.
” It wasn’t a high-speed descent. It was a straight and vast road,” race supervisor Czeslaw Lang informed BBC. “He had a moment of hesitation, he left the asphalt as well as the tragedy happened. The injuries were so severe that we called for a helicopter and an ambulance. [Lambrecht] was transported to health center. His heart started beating again however he sadly died during the procedure.”
An appealing climber, Lambrecht was hailed as one of the leading GC potential customers ahead out of Belgian biking in decades. Lambrecht won the Under 23 Liege-Bastogne-Liege and also ended up second in the Trip de l’Avenir in 2017 behind this year’s Scenic tour de France winner Egan Bernal before turning professional in 2015 with Lottery Soudal.
This year he put 12th at the Criterium du Dauphine, winning the best young biker classification, fourth in La Fleche Wallonne and sixth at the Amstel Gold.
” We are all extremely drunk by this catastrophe,” Lang stated. “Words fall short to define the feelings that we’re all feeling. I share the pain with Bjorg’s family, his group and all participants of the biking community. At the same time I state our full assistance. Bjorg Lambrecht will permanently continue to be in our memories as a remarkable cyclist as well as a fantastic guy”
Lambrecht’s fatality brought a flurry of homages across social media from all edges of the cycling world.
” Such an unbelievably sad day here in Poland as well as across the biking world,” tweeted Mark Cavendish that ended up sixth in Monday’s phase.
” To the family members, pals and also colleagues of @bjorg_lambrecht, all our thoughts as well as sympathies are with you. Rest In Peace Bjorg. May your celebrity remain to shine as brilliantly as it did in cycling.”
Alejandro Valverde, the ruling world roadway race champ, resembled Cavendish’s comments.
“Deeply sorry for the loss of Bjorg Lambrecht, a biker who had actually shown a whole lot in a couple of years,” the Spaniard tweeted.