A minute's silence for Niels De Vriendt held at GP Vermarc Sport

050720 / Rotselaar / GP Vermarc /
VDM-Van Durm-Michiels-Trawobo CT lead the moment of silence at the race (Image credit: Getty Images Sport)

Riders taking part in today's GP Vermarc Sport held a minute of silence before the start of the race in honour of Niels De Vrient, the amateur rider who died yesterday during a practice race in Wortegem-Petegem.

John Degenkolb (Lotto Soudal), Fabio Jakobsen (Deceuninck-QuickStep), and Victor Campenaerts (racing as an independent) are among the riders to take the start in the kermesse, a warm-up race ahead of the season restart.

"Dear Niels, today you were just like me and 173 others very happy to be back at the start," he wrote. "It has very quickly become a low point no-one will forget.

"Again, it's someone who has given their life when he practices his sport/hobby/passion. Again, a young colleague who suddenly leaves us. It happens, unfortunate and unexpected, but we never get used to it.

"So long, Niels. I wish a lot of strength to all the people who were close to Niels."

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