Belgian cyclist Tuur Hancke died on his 19th birthday (Image: Instagram / Tuur Hancke)
Belgian cyclist Tuur Hancke died on his 19th birthday just hours after doctors concluded he was suffering from flu. The teenager’s father claims that his son’s condition rapidly unravelled after he returned to his room from a class.
Hancke had initially believed he had contracted a cold after riding in the rain on Sunday. The sudden illness left him “weak” and unable to stand unaided, according to his father.
Belgian newspaper reports that doctors prescribed Hancke with antibiotics. However, his parents watched as his condition worsened and, tragically, he had died by 2am.
“He returned to his dormitory from class because he wasn’t feeling well,” his father told the newspaper. “He thought he had a cold because he had cycled in the rain on Sunday. When it didn’t get better, he went to see a doctor.
“When he arrived at the dorm, his condition continued to deteriorate. My wife drove to his dorm at a quarter to eight. He was weak and could no longer stand on his feet. At first we thought he could be resuscitated, but by 2am he was dead.”
The amateur cyclist’s death was confirmed by his team, Gaverzicht-BE Okay-Van Mossel. Tributes have since poured from across the cycling community.
His team wrote: “It is with great sadness that we learned of the sudden death of Tuur Hancke. He had joined us in 2022 to race for two years among the juniors and then make his debut among the Under 23s in 2024.
“All the riders and club staff members keep wonderful memories of Tuur, a boy who was always respectful, always smiling, loved by everyone. Unfortunately, there is no more time to build new memories.
“We wish strength to all those who knew Tuur: first and foremost, to his family, his teammates, and friends inside and outside the club.”
Such devastating news.Our thoughts go out to the family, friends and loved ones of Tuur Hancke. ??????We want to offer them our deepest condolences.
— Belgian Cycling (@BELCycling)
The Belgian Cycling Federation commented: “Such devastating news. Our thoughts go out to the family, friends and loved ones of Tuur Hancke. We want to offer them our deepest condolences.”
Hancke had revealed only weeks ago that he was due to quit the sport, saying he was due to begin a “new chapter”.
“What first seemed like a habit became a big part of my life in recent years. Now is the time to enjoy the other things in life,” Hancke wrote on in September.
“After four unforgettable years I am saying goodbye to the course. Thank you to my parents, trainer, staff and all the supporters who made this adventure possible. On to a new chapter!”