Tijl De Decker (29 July 2001 – 25 August 2023) was a Belgian racing cyclist. He was the younger brother of cyclist Alfdan De Decker.

Tijl De Decker
De Decker in 2023
Personal information
Born(2001-07-29)29 July 2001
Antwerp, Belgium
Died25 August 2023(2023-08-25) (aged 22)
Antwerp, Belgium
Height183 cm (6 ft 0 in)
Weight73 kg (161 lb)
Team information
DisciplineRoad
RoleRider
Amateur teams
2018Davo CT–Tongeren Junior
2019Zannata Galloo Cycling Team
2020Indulek–Doltcini–Derito CT
2021–2022ACROG–Tormans
Professional team
2023Lotto–Dstny Development Team

Sporting career

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After switching to the U23s, De Decker first rode for three years for Belgian clubs. For the 2023 season he became a member of the Lotto–Dstny Development Team. Already in the first race for his new team he achieved his first victory in a UCI race by winning the third stage of the Tour de Taiwan.[1] This was followed in April by the prestigious victory in the Paris–Roubaix Espoirs.[2] At the Giro Next Gen, he was one of 24 riders disqualified by the jury who determined that the riders had been pulled by escort motorcycles or cars on the final climb up to the Stelvio Pass.[3]

In July 2023, it was announced that De Decker would move from the development team to Lotto–Dstny's UCI ProTeam for the 2024 season.[4]

On 25 August 2023, he died at Antwerp University Hospital from injuries as a result of a training accident in which he collided with the rear of a car in Lier near Antwerp two days earlier.[5][6] He was 22.[7]

Major results

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2018
2nd Omloop der Vlaamse Gewesten
8th Johan Museeuw Classic
2023
1st Paris–Roubaix Espoirs
1st Stage 3 Tour de Taiwan
1st Stage 1 (TTT) Tour Alsace
2nd Rutland–Melton CiCLE Classic
3rd Brussel-Opwijk [nl]
4th Road race, National Under-23 Road Championships
4th Omloop Het Nieuwsblad U23
4th Eschborn–Frankfurt Under-23

References

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  1. ^ "Tijl De Decker zorgt voor Belgisch succes in Tour de Taiwan". WielerFlits (in Dutch). 14 March 2023. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
  2. ^ "Solozege Lotto Dstny-talent Tijl De Decker in Parijs-Roubaix voor beloften". WielerFlits (in Dutch). 7 May 2023. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
  3. ^ "Giro Next Gen: Jury disqualifiziert nach Stelvio-Etappe 24 Fahrer". radsport-news.com. 16 June 2023. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
  4. ^ "Tijl De Decker wordt prof bij Lotto Dstny, drie renners verlengen contract". WielerFlits (in Dutch). 20 July 2023. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
  5. ^ "U23 Paris-Roubaix winner Tijl De Decker dies after "crashing into car" during training ride". road.cc. 25 August 2023. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  6. ^ "Tijl De Decker nach Trainingsunfall verstorben". radsport-news.com. 25 August 2023. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  7. ^ "Belgian cyclist Tijl De Decker, 22, dies after training crash". The Independent. 25 August 2023. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
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