Belgian Racer Frank Vandenbroucke Dead at 34

http://www.velonews.com/article/99167/afp-vandenbroucke-dead

Belgian cyclist Frank Vandenbroucke has died at the age of 34, a source close to the racer told the French news service Agence France Presse.

According to Belgian media, Vandenbroucke was found dead in his hotel room in Senegal, where he was on holiday. A preliminary diagnosis suggests Vandenbroucke suffered from a pulmonary embolism.

"Sadly this has only partly come as a surprise, for we knew he was not doing too well," said his uncle, former racer Jean-Luc Vandenbroucke. "He was up and down, both in terms of his health and his morale. He left for Senegal on Sunday."

Vandenbroucke made his professional debut in 1994 and recorded 51 victories. His best season came in 1999, when he won eight races, including the Liège-Bastogne-Liège classic and two stages in the Vuelta a España. He finished that year third in the UCI’s final standings.

In 2002, Vandenbroucke was twice stopped by police and discovered to be driving under the influence of alcohol. In another incident that year, a police search at his home uncovered a large quantity of doping substances. Two years later, he was sentenced to 200 hours of community service.

In 2003, when he rode for the Quick Step team, Vandenbroucke appeared on the way back after a second-place finish in the prestigious Tour of Flanders classic.

However, despite a promising start to the 2004 season, hopes of a sustained comeback were cut short and he sank further into depression. In July of that year, police were called to his home in response to a domestic dispute after he reportedly brandished a shotgun during an argument with his then-wife, Sarah, and threatened to kill himself.

Two years ago, while signed to Acqua e Sapone, Vandenbroucke tried to commit suicide after his wife said she was divorcing him.

But earlier this year he had returned to racing, riding for the modest Cinelli-Down Under team, having signed for them in February. In April he won the time trial and took the leader's jersey at La Boucle de l'Artois, a second-division French race.

He would not keep it, though; he fell to third overall after the final stage, finishing behind Sergey Firsanov (Team Designa Kokken) and Dimitri Champion (Bretagne-Schuller).

 

It pays to live every day to its fullest. RIP

 

He could have been a really big name. I guess he was a big name but had so many troubles!
RIP indeed!

 

VDB... Dope = thick blood = heart attack. Stop doping peloton!

 

:-k Well there is that but it's still too bad he's gone at such a young age.

 

Sounds like road racing is a depressing sport lately...

I recently read that Chad Gerlach relapsed back onto drugs and now this... is the life of a pro tour racer that bad?!

 

A friend of mine calls it a curse to be that talented, and I think he's right. You're good enough to land a job riding a bike, but you're not exactly Lance either so you are stuck in the middle while you are getting paid peanuts. You don't want to quit because you know you have talent, so you are just stuck in limbo.

Besides, they are getting paid to perform--not just ride a bike like we all think.

 

Pro at 19, enjoyed crazy success in the late nineties, then spent the last ten years trying to regain the glory. He was a Belgian superstar! I remember his crazy ego back in 98-99, always predicting his victory, and emphasizing how stong he was.

It's too bad, yet another pro cyclist dead. Depression and drugs...It's got to be so hard to overcome cycling's drugs and constant pressure to win, espicially when you have a history of winning major classics.
http://velonews.com/article/99198/officials-in-senegal-will-perform-vandenbroucke-autopsy


R.I.P.