The Belgian cycling scene awoke to the news today of the sudden death of Jimmy Duquennoy who was aged just 23 years.
The Belgian ProContinental team WB Aqua Protect Veranclassic has confirmed the sad news that one of its riders, Jimmy Duquennoy, has died.
From Belgium and aged just 23 years old he did unexpectedly and without warning at home. The team has said it was possibly a heart attack.
However, health screening had never revealed any cardiac issues. And Duquennoy has raced as recently as last Wednesday with his team at Sparkassen Münsterland Giro in Germany.
This year he realised a dream in riding Paris-Roubaix; a race he would finish in 56th place. As a younger rider he had finished 7th in the U23 version of the same race.
He began his tenure in the pro peloton with Color Code-Aquality Protect in 2015. The following year he stated at Continental level with Wallonie-Bruxelles.
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For the last two seasons he had competed at ProContinental level with the WB Aqua Protect Veranclassic team.
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The squad issued a short statement confirming his very sad passing and outlining some details.
"Jimmy died unexpectedly at his home on Friday evening. He was 23. He was the most jovial, the most kind and most open young man,” it said.
"He had started out in our development team, Color-Code-Aquality Protect before fulfilling his dream by becoming a professional rider at Wallonie Bruxelles in 2016.
“The entire team presents its deepest condolences to Jimmy's family and relatives.”
Team manager Christophe Brandt learned of the death of Jimmy Duquennoy from other riders in the team.
"Jimmy passed away at his home last night," he told Belgian newspaper Het Nieuwsblad.
"He lived with his girlfriend Sally and they were watching something on the television. At one point, she asked Jimmy about something and he did not answer. He appeared to have died.
"There were never any complaints from his side. Jimmy was planning to have a cruise with Sally on the Nile and he had posted something on Facebook about that on Friday.
“Now everything is gone. He was a boy with a lot of talent and a very interesting person."
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