Brussels, Belgium (BBN)-Cyclist Daan Myngheer, 22, has died in hospital after suffering a heart attack during the first stage of the Criterium International in Corsica.
He is the second Belgian cyclist to die in as many days after Antoine Demoitie was struck by a motorbike during Belgium’s Gent-Wevelgem race, reports BBC.
Myngheer, who turned professional last year, had been in an induced coma.
His team, Roubaix Metropole Lille, said in a statement: “He lost his last race after fighting like a champion.”
Myngheer pulled up in difficulty 20 miles from the line in the first stage of the race at Porto-Vecchio on Saturday.
He suffered the heart attack while in an ambulance, before being transferred by helicopter to hospital, where he was put on artificial respiration and fell into a coma. According to his team, Myngheer’s organs have been donated.
British cyclist Mark Cavendish tweeted: “Such a terribly sad few days in the professional cycling world. Another tragic loss.
“RIP Daan Myngheer. My thoughts are with your loved ones.”
Team Sky added: “Our thoughts are with the family and friends of Daan Myngheer. So sad to lose another member of the cycling family.”
The latest tragedy comes after the 25-year-old Demoitie, who was riding for the Wanty-Gobert team, was killed when he was hit by a motorbike.
The accident happened when several riders crashed as they passed through northern France during Sunday’s Gent-Wevelgem one-day race.
Demoitie was taken to hospital in Lille but died some time later.
In January, six racers from the Giant-Alpecin team, including German John Degenkolb and Frenchman Warren Barguil, were injured in a collision with a car during a training ride south of Valencia.
BBN/SK/AD