bone
"bangle for president"
Wouter Weylandt, a rider for Team Leopard Trek, has died after crashing during the Giro d'Italia.
The 26-year-old Belgian crashed on the descent from the Passo del Bocco on Stage Three from Reggio Emilia to Rapallo near Genoa.
Television footage showed the Leopard-Trek rider lying on the ground and bleeding heavily. Doctors were seen cutting Weylandt's helmet before administering CPR treatment and shots of adrenaline.
After 25 minutes he was taken by helicopter to hospital where he was declared dead.
Giro race doctor Professor Giovanni Tredici told the Gazzetta dello Sport: "Weylandt was the victim of a fall and we are still trying to reconstruct the dynamics of what happened.
"We tried immediately but he was already unconscious, his condition was already compromised.
"We tried for 40 minutes to resuscitate him but there was nothing we could do."
Giro race doctor Professor Giovanni Tredici told the Gazzetta dello Sport: "Weylandt was the victim of a fall and we are still trying to reconstruct the dynamics of what happened.
"We tried immediately but he was already unconscious, his condition was already compromised. We tried for 40 minutes to resuscitate him but there was nothing we could do."
A spokesman for Leopard Trek, Tim Vanderjeugd, said: "I can confirm the death of Wouter Weylandt. He was taken to hospital but had already died at the scene."
A further statement from Leopard Trek's general manager Brian Nygaard read: "Today, our team-mate and friend Wouter Weylandt passed away after a crash on the third stage of the Giro d'Italia.
"The team is left in a state of shock and sadness and we send all our thoughts and deepest condolences to the family and friends of Wouter.
"This is a difficult day for cycling and for our team, and we should all seek support and strength in the people close to us."
Race organisers cancelled the presentation for the stage winner, the Spaniard Angel Vicioso, and the new race leader, Britain's David Millar, as a mark of respect for Weylandt.
Mark Cavendish, who finished safely in the peloton, said on his Twitter page: "Things like this shouldn't happen. Absolutely sick to the stomach. My thoughts are with his family. RIP Wouter Weylandt."
Bradley Wiggins, who was not riding the Giro, tweeted: "Days like this put this great sport we love into perspective, Wouter rest in peace now mate, thoughts are now with the family and freinds."
Weylandt won Stage Three of the same race last year, and also Stage 17 of the 2008 Vuelta a Espa?a.
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a vid of him laying on the road, decide for yourself if you want to watch...
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