Belgian Cyclist Cédric Baekeland, 28, Dies from Heart Attack
Cédric Baekeland rode for the Boby & Bike-BMB Boekhouding-The Rock Real Estate cycling team and had been in Spain since March 12.
Baekeland and his teammates were preparing for the start of the Belgian cycling season, which begins on March 26 in Slypskapelle, Belgium.
On March 14, however, Baekeland suffered a heart attack. He managed to wake up his roommate before he collapsed but could not be resuscitated.
The young cyclist only recently took up the sport after playing football for both KSV Roeselare and Club Roeselare. An injury put a stop to his footballing career but he proved to be competitive at cycling.
This season he would have been a full member of the team, riding in elite races.
At the request of the family, the cycling team does not wish to respond to what happened in Mallorca for the time being.
Source: https://www.nieuwsblad.be/cnt/dmf20220315_95069455
The news of Baekeland’s death comes soon after the cycling world had lost another young rider.
On March 9, Scotland’s Commonwealth Games cyclist John Paul died suddenly aged 28.
Then on Monday, March 21, Italian cyclist Sonny Colbrelli collapsed as he crossed the finishing line at the 101st edition of the famous Volta a Catalunya cycling race. He had suffered cardiac arrest.