Tragic accident claims cyclist during Tour of Austria descent

A tragedy occurred during the fourth stage of the Tour of Austria cycling race. Andre Drege, a 25-year-old rider from the Coop-Repsol team, fell while descending from the summit of Grossglockner to Heiligenblut and died on the spot. An eyewitness shared a traumatic account of the accident.

According to reports from Andre Drege's team and the organizers of the Tour of Austria, the 25-year-old was in a breakaway group, and several participants of the cycling race witnessed his fall. Drege lost consciousness, and emergency services promptly began resuscitation efforts, which ultimately proved unsuccessful.

We are devastated by the tragic death of Andre Drege. Our thoughts and prayers are with Andre’s family and loved ones during this incredibly difficult time. Andre’s family has requested privacy in mourning his loss, so we kindly ask that their wishes be respected, - the Coop-Repsol team representatives wrote on X.

Eyewitness recounts the cyclist's accident

Due to the circumstances, the organizers decided to cancel the race's final stage from Kufstein to Kuehtai. The cyclists honored the wish of the late Norwegian family by riding approximately 6 miles, which evoked many emotions among the participants and fans of the race. The event was recorded, and a video of crying cyclists was shared on social media.

According to a Norwegian media report, Drege's accident was caused by rear wheel problems. The only eyewitness to the tragedy was Slovenian cyclist, Jaka Primozić, who narrated to the police what exactly happened at the moment of the 25-year-old's fall. "Drege soon fell afterward. At that time, the cyclists were traveling at a speed of about 62 miles per hour," the Slovenian reportedly said, later sharing his account on social media.

As the only witness, I can't explain how devastated I am. This should never have happened. No one was at fault for the accident. I would give anything to change something to prevent this from happening. My thoughts are with his team and family. Rest in peace, may cycling be kind to you in heaven. I can't say I knew him, but we shared the same passion, and I will carry him in my heart forever - he wrote.