25-year-old Norwegian cyclist Andre Drege dies after a fall during a race
Norwegian professional cyclist Andre Drege has died after a fall during the Tour of Austria.
The 25-year-old rider of the Coop-Repsol team crashed on a downhill ride after losing control of his bike. His team confirmed his death on X-Saturday and wrote: “We are devastated by the tragic death of André Drege.”
“The UCI is devastated to learn of the death of professional cyclist Andre Drege during the Tour of Austria,” said the International Cycling Union (UCI) added to X. “Our thoughts are with his family, friends and teammates.”
Local police told Norwegian television TV 2: “It was an accident and he died from the injuries he sustained. We are investigating the cause.”
The post-race presentations were cancelled.
We are devastated by the tragic death of André Drege🌹
Our thoughts and prayers are with Andrés family and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time.
André’s family has requested privacy to mourn their loss and we respectfully ask that you respect their wishes. pic.twitter.com/qtD79ItOnI
— Team Coop – Repsol (@TeamCoopRepsol) July 6, 2024
Cycling suffered several fatalities last year.
The 18-year-old Spaniard Juan Pujalte died in a fatal training accident in March.
In August, 22-year-old Belgian cyclist Tijl De Decker died as a result of a training crash.
Magnus White, a member of the U.S. junior national team, died at the age of 17 when he was hit by a car while training in his hometown of Boulder, Colorado, just days after Italian Jacopo Venzo, also 17, was killed in an accident during a race in Austria.
In mid-June 2023, Swiss cyclist Gino Mader died at the age of 26 after falling into a ravine on the descent to the finish line during the fifth stage of the Tour de Suisse.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Cyclist Andre Drege, 25, dies after crash at Tour of Austria