Remembering Wouter Weylandt at the Giro d'Italia

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Wednesday marks the seventh anniversary of the tragic death of Wouter Weylandt during the 2011 Giro d’Italia, with numerous riders, team staff and fans remembering him via social media. 

The Belgian rider crashed on the descent of the Passo del Bocco near Genoa and suffered fatal injuries during stage 3 of the Giro d’Italia. He was reportedly travelling at 80km/h when he lost control of his bike.

The following day the peloton paid tribute to him on the stage to Livorno, with his Leopard Trek teammates and close friend Tyler Farrar leading the peloton across the finish line together.

Weylandt won stage 3 of the 2010 Giro d’Italia in Middelburg in the Netherlands after the Corsa Rosa started in Amsterdam. He also won a stage of the 2008 Vuelta a Espana and several Belgian races.

Weylandt is always remembered at the Giro d’Italia through his 108 race number from the 2011 race, which has never been used in the race since as a sign of remembrance.

Before the start of stage 5 from Agrigento to Santa Ninfa, riders and fans remembered Weylandt on Twitter with photographs from his career. Several local cyclists rode to the monument that has been erected on the Passo del Bocco to remember Weylandt.