The 22-year-old young cyclist, who had been racing in the Lotto Dstny team for a short time, died this Friday August 15, 2023, in the morning, after hitting the back of a car during training. He was known for winning the Paris-Roubaix Espoirs 2023.
“It is with great sadness that we have to announce the death of our rider Tijl De Decker.“In a message posted on the social network X, this Friday August 25, 2023, at the start of the afternoon, the Belgian cycling team Lotto Dstny announced the disappearance of the young 22-year-old rider Tjil De Decker.
The athlete, winner of the Paris-Roubaix espoirs this year, had been admitted to intensive care at the University Hospital of Antwerp after hitting the back of a car during training on Wednesday August 23. “Despite the efforts of hospital staff, Tijl failed to pull through and lost his fight this morning“, says Lotto Dstny in a press release this Friday afternoon.
Tijl De Decker had joined the development team of Lotto Dstny Tijl at the beginning of 2023. The Belgian rider had “impressed with a stage victory in the Tour of Taiwan and places of honor in the U23 Rutland-Melton Cicle Classic (2nd) and Eschborn-Frankfurt U23 (4th) races”also recalls his team.
“We are devastated by the loss of our cyclist.”, said Lotto Dstny CEO Stéphane Heulot in the statement on Friday. “Tijl showed great progress this year and we believed in its room for growth. Integrating him into the professional team was a logical choice. Sadly, he never turned pro and we will always remember him as a talented young rider and a warm, friendly person off the bike.“De Decker was originally scheduled to join the professional team at Lotto Dstny in 2024.
Several high-level cyclists have also paid tribute to Tijl De Decker, such as the Dutchman Mathieu Van der Poel or the Frenchman Warren Barguil, who writes in an Instagram story: “Cycling is a dangerous sport in racing as well as in training, thank you to motorists for respecting us even if we can make mistakes.”
