Norwegian Cyclist Andre Drege, a 25-year-old rider from Team Coop-Repsol, tragically lost his life during a mountain descent at the Tour of Austria after losing control of his bike.
His team confirmed his death on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday, stating, “We are devastated by the tragic passing of André Drege.”
The International Cycling Union (UCI) also expressed their sorrow on X, saying, “The UCI is devastated to learn of the death of professional cyclist Andre Drege at the Tour of Austria. Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and teammates.”
Local police informed Norwegian TV 2 that it was an accident and that Drege died from the injuries he sustained. They are currently investigating the cause.
In light of the tragedy, post-race presentations were cancelled.
The cycling community has faced several tragic losses in the past year. In March, 18-year-old Spaniard Juan Pujalte died in a training accident.
In August, 22-year-old Belgian rider Tijl De Decker succumbed to severe injuries from a training crash.
U.S. Junior Men’s National Team member Magnus White, aged 17, was killed after being hit by a car while training in Boulder, Colorado, just days after 17-year-old Italian Jacopo Venzo died following a crash during a race in Austria.
Additionally, Swiss rider Gino Mader, 26, passed away in mid-June 2023 after crashing into a ravine during stage five of the Tour de Suisse, on the descent towards the finish line.
