An amateur cyclist has died from injuries sustained in a severe crash during the Vélomédiane Claudy Criquiélion, Belgium’s oldest cyclosportive, held in the Ardennes region.
The rider, a man from Hainaut whose name has not been released, fell alone on Saturday 22 August while reportedly descending the Côte de Bérismenil during the event’s 37th edition. The 6.4-kilometre descent has average gradients of 5.1% and can see speeds reach 70 km/h. The event is based in La Roche-en-Ardenne, in Belgium’s hilly province of Luxembourg — not the neighbouring Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. Around 1,550 amateur cyclists took part in this year’s edition.
According to the prosecutor’s office, the rider was travelling at roughly 60 km/h when the incident occurred. Witnesses reported that he appeared to swerve to avoid a discarded water bottle before crashing heavily and landing on his head. No other riders were involved.
He was transported to Citadelle Hospital in Liège, where his condition was described as critical. He died on Monday 24 August 2026, the Luxembourg provincial prosecutor’s office confirmed.
The Vélomédiane, held in memory of the late Belgian professional Claudy Criquiélion, attracts around 1,500 amateur riders each year and is regarded as the oldest cyclosportive in Belgium.
The event offers several route options, ranging from a gravel course to the roughly 170-kilometre Grand Challenge, and has been a fixture on the amateur cycling calendar for nearly four decades.
Gran Fondo Daily News extends its condolences to the rider’s family and the wider Vélomédiane community. Further details about his identity and any review of race safety measures have not yet been made public.
Photo Credit: Vélomédiane
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