Dutch former cyclist Lieuwe Westra has died at the age of 40

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The Dutch Ex-cyclist Lieuwe Westra, retired since 2017 due to depression, passed away on Saturday at the age of 40as reported by his biographer, Thomas Sijtsma.

“The former cyclist fought with himself in recent years and disappeared,” Sijtsma wrote on the social network Twitter, without the cause of death of the athlete, known as “the Beast”, being disclosed.

His family announced that through the social network Facebook was found on Saturday afternoon at his company’s premises in Zwaagdijk and, although an attempt was made to revive him, it was impossible, according to Dutch media reports.

“In recent years Lieuwe has gone through difficult times. The end of his cycling career and life as a professional was difficult for him. We want to remember him as a cyclist, the Beast, in the happiest moments of his life alive,” they wrote. .

Westra, who rides with the Vancansoleil DCM (2009-2013), Astana (2014-2016) and Wanty-Groupe Gobert teams, is a two-time champion of the Dutch Cycling Time Trial Championship and won stages in 2012 in Paris- Nice, in the Tour of Catalonia and the Dauphiné in 2014, the year in which he was part of the team of Tour de Astana winner Vincenzo Nibali, as well as De Panne’s Driedaagse.

The cyclist ended his career at the beginning of 2017 after reportedly suffering from depression which, as he explained a few months later in a television interview, prevented him from continuing to run.

Westra will be laid to rest in a small ceremony, according to the family, who have asked for their privacy to be respected.

His former Vancansoleil teammate Johnny Hogerland expressed his sadness on Twitter at the death of his compatriot and regretted that he “wasn’t helping” in recent years.

Source: La Verdad

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