A Belgian cyclist died Monday after crashing during a race in Poland.
Bjorg Lambrecht hit his head on a concrete culvert late in the third stage of the Tour de Pologne, according to Polish newspaper Dziennik Polski. Tour organizers wrote on Facebook that Lambrecht had to be resuscitated at the scene before being driven to a nearby hospital, where he died during surgery. He was 22.
“The biggest tragedy possible that could happen to the family, friends and teammates of Bjorg has happened,” his cycling team, Lotto-Soudal, wrote in a statement. “Rest in peace Bjorg.”
The Tour de Pologne is a seven-stage road race that weaves through more than 650 miles in southern Poland. The event was scheduled to continue with the fourth stage Tuesday.
Lambrecht, who was born in Ghent, Belgium, turned pro last year after recording top-three finishes in multiple under-23 events. He picked up his first professional victory last year by winning the third stage of the Tour des Fjords in Norway, then later finished second in the under-23 road race at the 2018 UCI Road World Championships. He is described on his team’s website as possessing “strong climbing abilities” — thriving in uphill races and stages.
Contact Tom Schad at tschad@usatoday.com or on Twitter @Tom_Schad.
