Tour de France star Lieuwe Westra has passed away after being found unresponsive at work.
Sources from the Netherlands understand the Dutchman was found unresponsive while working at his business premises in Zwaagdijk Holland. Panicking colleagues tried to resuscitate Westra by doing CPR but they were unable to save his life.
His death was confirmed by his biographer and friend Thomas Sijtsma. Westra, who was known as ‘the beast’ throughout his career, was only 40-years-old when he passed away.
.”The former cyclist fought with himself in recent years and lost. Rest in peace, beast,” Sijtsma wrote in an emotional post on Twitter. It has been stressed by the biographer that there is absolutely “no suggestion of suicide” at this current stage.
Westra competed for Vacansoleil and Astana over the course of an eight year spell in the peloton before retiring in January 2017. He left the sport having amassed 13 wins on his palmares.
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