(Vienna) Norwegian rider André Drege, 25, died on Saturday after a fall during the 4e stage of the Tour of Austria, the organizers announced.
During this 4e and penultimate stage, the cyclist, member of the Coop Repsol team, was in a breakaway when he fell for an undetermined reason on a descent, in the Grossglockner region, on one of the most famous Alpine roads in the country, according to a press release sent to AFP.
His family and team members must decide whether the final stage will take place on Sunday or not. The ceremonies at the finish of today’s stage have been cancelled.
“It’s hard to understand what happened, we’re all in shock, it’s very sad,” reacted Slovenian Tadej Pogacar, current yellow jersey of the Tour de France.
“In the world of cycling we all have to look out for each other and take care of each other,” he added.
Last year, a 17-year-old Italian died during a regional junior downhill race in Austria.
In the professional peloton, the last fatal accident also dates back to last year when the Swiss Gino Mäder, 26, of the Bahrain team, fell during the Tour de Suisse in June.
The first half of the season was also marked by several serious falls in the peloton.