Belgian rider Daan Myngheer dies after Criterium International heart attack

French Continental team Roubaix–Lille Métropole reports that its rider Daan Myngheer has lost his life after suffering a heart attack on the opening stage of the Criterium International in Corsica over the weekend.

Myngheer was feeling unwell towards the end of Saturday’s opening stage of the three-stage race and decided to abandon. The 22-year-old had a heart attack in the ambulance and was taken to hospital where he was placed on life-support in an induced coma.

Myngheer was joined by his family in hospital but died just after 7pm on Monday evening.

“It is with great sadness that we tell you of the death of Daan,” the team posted to Facebook on Monday. “He lost his last race after having fought like a grand champion.

“He died on Monday 28 March at 19:08 in the presence of his parents, his sister Fleur and his companion Emely at the hospital of Ajaccio. Daan is going to donate his organs to help other people, as was his will.”

Unconfirmed reports suggest Myngheer had a pre-existing heart condition but had been cleared to race.

Myngheer was in the second year of his professional career, having joined the Verandas Willems Cycling Team in 2015 before moving to Roubaix-Lille Métropole in 2016.

Myngheer is the second Belgian professional to have lost his life in the past few days after his compatriot Antoine Demoitié was hit by a race moto in Gent-Wevelgem on Sunday and later succumbed to his injuries.

CyclingTips would like to offer its condolences to Daan’s family, friends, teammates and all that knew him.