Triple Crankset

Frank Vandenbroucke was one of the most talented, yet enigmatic cyclists of our generation. A Classics specialist who won Liege-Bastogne-Liege and Gent-Wevelgem, among others, Vandenbroucke was never quite able to live up to the lofty expectations of his Belgian fan base, both inside and outside the barriers.

Yesterday, Vandenbroucke was found in a Senegalese hotel, dead of an apparent pulmonary embolism.

According to his legendary uncle, former racer Jean-Luc Vandenbroucke, the 34-year-old was not of good health recently.

"Sadly this has only partly come as a surprise, for we knew he was not doing too well…He was up and down, both in terms of his health and his morale. He left for Senegal on Sunday."

By all accounts, Vandenbroucke lived a troubled life, one of drug use and depression, off his bicycle. And whether it is fair or not, he will be remembered as much for his brilliance on two wheels as his collapses away from them.

Frank Vandenbroucke is a tragic figure in the sport of cycling; a shooting star unable to shine as brightly because it was overwhelmed by its own shadow. As Laurent De Backer, head of the Belgian cycling federation, stated Tuesday, "An athlete with a brilliant but too short career has left us."

MORE:
Frank Vandenbroucke, Belgian cyclist, dies - Telegraph.co.uk
Vale: Frank Vandenbroucke 1974 - 2009 - CyclingNews
Death of Frank Vandenbroucke a stark reminder of cycling's dark side - Guardian

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