The highlight of the Tour of Austria is the descent from the Grossglockner peak near Heiligenblut Ski Resort, Austria. The famous Austrian bicycle race has been overshadowed by a death on Saturday, July 6. The Norwegian professional cyclist André Drege fell during the descent from the Grossglockner and died from his injuries. How exactly the accident occurred is currently unknown. However, Drege was apparently in the leader pack.
The International Cycling Union stated in a post on social media on Saturday: “The UCI is devastated to learn of the death of professional cyclist André Drege at the Tour of Austria. Our thoughts are with his family, friends and teammates.”
The 25-year-old Team Coop-Repsol rider crashed in a downhill section and suffered fatal injuries, race organizers confirmed on social media channels.
The penultimate stage from St. Johann over the Grossglockner to Kals in East Tyrol was won by Italian Filippo Ganna, but the victory ceremony was canceled due to the tragic accident. The Grossglockner is situated east of the Brenner Pass and rises to 3,798 meters (12,461 feet) in elevation. The peak lies on the border between Carinthia (Kärnten) and Tyrol. It is the dominant peak in the Heiligenblut ski area.
Last year, Swiss cyclist Gino Mäder died following a crash during the Tour de Suisse. As a result, much discussion has been had around the safety of these Alpine races. Mäder had tumbled down a ravine during a descent on the Albula Pass near St. Moritz and succumbed to his injuries.
