Former cyclist Lieuwe Westra passed away on Saturday at the age of 40. The news was officially confirmed by his biographer Thomas Sijtsma on social media. The cause of death is still unknown.
Westra had a history of depression, both during and after his cycling career, which was attributed to his early exposure to drugs. Nevertheless, in 2009, he managed to overcome these struggles and secured a professional contract with team Vacansoleil.
Throughout his career, he won thirteen races, including two Dutch time trial championships, and achieved stage wins in prestigious events such as the Tour of Belgium 2011, Paris-Nice 2012, the Tour of California 2013, the Tour of Catalonia 2014 and the Critérium du Dauphiné 2014. He also played a significant role in Vincenzo Nibali's victory in the Tour de France in 2014.
“Lieuwe Westra passed away on Saturday afternoon. The former cyclist fought with himself in recent years and lost. Rest in peace, Beast,” Sijtsma concluded.
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