Criticizes attempt to honour Weylandt through non-use of number
Wouter Weylandt was remembered with a Belgian flag (Image credit: Bettini Photo)
The Belgian cycling federation has spoken out against the retirement of race number 108, saying it won't bring back Wouter Weylandt. The KBWB said that the number would be assigned in the national road race on Sunday and called on other races to follow suit.
Weylandt was wearing 108 when he died as the result of a crash in the third stage of this year's Giro d'Italia. That race has permanently retired the number.
The race number 108 was not assigned at Wednesday's Halle-Ingooigem race, “as a token of homage” to Weylandt, the race organiser said.
"It has to stop,” Freddy Van Steen of the KBWB said, according to sporza. “In this way Weylandt's death is always brought up again. That is why the federation will not do it.”
Only the kermis races in East Flanders will run without the number this number for the rest of the year, he said.
Ironically, the number will not be worn in Sunday's race. It was assigned to Sep Vanmarcke of Garmin-Cervelo, who will not be riding due to injuries.
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