Stig Broeckx (born 10 May 1990 in Mol) is a Belgian former racing cyclist, who competed as a professional for Lotto–Soudal from 2014 to 2016.[1]

Stig Broeckx
Broeckx in 2015
Personal information
Born (1990-05-10) 10 May 1990 (age 33)
Mol, Belgium
Height188 cm (6 ft 2 in)
Weight73 kg (161 lb)
Team information
Current teamRetired
DisciplineRoad
RoleRider
Amateur teams
2012–2013Lotto–Belisol U23
2013Lotto–Belisol (stagiaire)
Professional team
2014–2016Lotto–Belisol

Career edit

During the third stage of the 2016 Tour of Belgium, on 28 May, Broeckx was in a crash caused by two motorbikes that ran into the peloton when it was descending at speed. He was one of the 11 riders hospitalized.[2] He was reported to suffer severe injuries (his heart stopped beating for a time) and was placed in an induced coma at the hospital in Gent.[3] In June 2016, Lotto Soudal team issued a medical update explaining that Stig Broeckx was in a vegetative state with severe brain damage, with attempts to bring him out of his coma so far unsuccessful.[4] A further update in September 2016 stated that Broeckx was being cared for in a rehabilitation centre in Overpelt, and was considered to be in a minimally conscious state, with no hope of recovery.[5] His family insisted that Broeckx be sent to a pioneering coma centre in Liège;[6] in December 2016 team doctor Servaes Bingé confirmed Broeckx was out of a coma.[7]

By 2019 Broeckx had recovered to a great extent, and was able to walk with a cane, although he had no memory of the five years leading up to the accident, and found out who he had been from the Internet. He cycles for recreation; when asked if afraid, he replied "I was already dead, so why [be afraid] now?".[6]

Major results edit

2007
1st Stage 2 Liège–La Gleize
2012
9th Overall Okolo Slovenska
9th Flèche Ardennaise
2013
2nd Omloop Het Nieuwsblad Beloften
3rd Overall Triptyque Ardennais
7th Overall Triptyque des Monts et Châteaux
8th Overall World Ports Classic
1st   Young rider classification
2014
10th Dwars door Drenthe
2015
5th Binche–Chimay–Binche
2016
7th Overall Tour of Turkey

References edit

  1. ^ "Stig Broeckx » Lotto Belisol". Retrieved 19 May 2014.
  2. ^ "Belgium Tour stage 3 abandoned after motorbikes cause big crash". Cycling News. 28 May 2016. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
  3. ^ "Update Stig Broeckx". Retrieved 26 June 2016.
  4. ^ Peloton reacts to news of Stig Broeckx brain damage
  5. ^ Broeckx transferred to rehabilitation
  6. ^ a b Jennifer Rankin (19 January 2020). "Belgian neurologist wins €1m prize for work on serious brain trauma". The Guardian.
  7. ^ "Stig Broeckx officially out of coma, team doctor says | Cyclingnews.com". Cyclingnews.com. Retrieved 28 February 2017.

External links edit