Crocodile Trophy in mourning

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Due to a tragic fatality, the sixth stage of the Crocodile Trophy was called off. The racing was neutralised with the field of riders being guided to Mt. Mulgrave.

At six o'clock this morning, the organisers and riders woke up to the terrible news that the Dutch rider Weit Heuker had passed away during the night of October 23-24. The 59-year-old suffered from cardiovascular and circulatory failure according to doctors who had been called immediately could only diagnose his death.

"We learned this morning - unfortunately only now - that Weit Heuker already had suffered a cardiac arrest a few years ago and had been under medical care since then," said the head of the medical support team of the Crocodile Trophy Dr. Alexandra Reimann.

"Our deepest condolences go out to the family, friends and teammates," said event organiser Gerhard Schönbacher.

Today's stage was cancelled out of respect for the deceased rider. After a minute of silence together, the participants were guided in a neutral ride along the main road from Chillagoe to Mt Mulgrave, from where the stage race will continue tomorrow morning.

General classification after stage 6