Wouter Weylandt: A career cut short

For Wouter Weylandt cycling was in the blood, hailing from Ghent in Belgium it was little surprise that he turned professional.

Weylandt showed early promise and at the age of 20, only his second year as an U23, by winning three world cups. Probably his toughest challenge that year was the Paris-Roubaix Espoir where he finished third, despite suffering two punctures. He was signed up in the same year as a stagiaire, by the Quick-Step Davitamon team.

He enjoyed some good results in the professional peloton, but it wasn’t until 2006 that he took his first big victory. Weylandt won the points classification in the Tour of Poland, after wearing the leader’s jersey, for some time. The following year was a bumper one for the Belgian, who claimed seven victories.  His first Grand Tour victory followed late in 2008, on stage 17 of the Vuelta a Espana. By now Weylandt was beginning to show his skills as a super domestique, as he helped teammates Tom Boonen and Paolo Bettini to victories.

2010 was his chance to show his class once again, when he out powered Graeme Brown and Robert Förster in a bunch sprint during the third stage of the Giro D’Italia. Sufficiently impressed by his hard work, the Schlecks signed him up for their Leopard-Trek team, for 2011. It was hoped he could use the same skills, which helped Boonen to classics victories, to assist Fabian Cancellara.

 In only his second attempt at the Giro D’Italia, Weylandt crashed on the final descent in the third stage and died despite the best efforts of race medics. Wouter Weylandt is survived by his girlfriend Sophie and their unborn child, due in September.