South African cyclist Ryan Cox (28) died in the Kempton Park Hospital at about 5am on Wednesday.
Cox, who rides for Team Barloworld, although he was not part of the team for the Tour de France, underwent a vascular lesion operation in Europe three weeks ago.
He returned to South Africa to recuperate, but his condition deteriorated on Monday and he was rushed to hospital.
Cox, one of South Africa’s top cyclists, lost the fight for his life after the main artery in his left leg burst on Tuesday.
Cox had recently undergone surgery in France after South Africa’s Tour de France ace, Robert Hunter, had lent him the money for the operation.
Clint Curtis, who coached the Barloworld rider when he was a junior, said Cox had been having problems with his left leg for some time.
”He sometimes lost the feeling in the leg after cycling and had little power in the leg towards the end of some races.
”Ryan then went to see one of the leading doctors in France. It was found that the artery had, as a consequence of all the cycling, become knotted as sometimes happens to a garden hose.
”It often happens to cyclists because they spend so many hours on the bicycles, with their legs bent while pedalling.
”The doctor in France has performed surgery of this type on about 600 cyclists.”
On his website, Cox described events leading to the operation
”Good news is I am getting to the end of my leg problem. My team doctor said once the tests are in order and Dr Chevalier says the operation is needed, I must stop and do the operation. The operation is on July 4 and the recovery around 60 days.
”The first 30 days no cycling is allowed. After that the next two weeks I’ll be allowed to make one hour walks and then back on the bike after 45 days, 20kms each day for a week, then 40kms for the next week and 60kms after that.
”Then back to normal training. As I’m not doing the Tour and there are no races here in Europe for about a month, it’s almost a perfect time to get this problem over and done with and get back on the bike and do what I love doing injury free …”
On July 16 he reported: ”It has only been 12 days since I went under the knife to solve my problems. Since then I have returned home and am recovering well. The swelling has really gone down nicely now and I am able to move around a bit quicker than last week.
”I’m taking things nice and slowly and being home around my family and friends is exactly what I need. I can start some jogging or swimming in about 19 days. Obviously this is the plan from the surgeon who operated on me. I’m not going to push myself and will be working very closely with him through my recovery …”
On the doping issues around the Tour, he wrote on July 29: ”Cycling is in a very tough situation at the moment, but the drug tests are leading the way when it comes to any other sport.
”When last did you hear that every player in the World Cup soccer, rugby or cricket had dope tests? Never mind a urine test? How about a blood test and even DNA testing?
”This just shows you that cycling is way ahead of the rest of the sports when it comes to catching the cheats.
Barloworld on Wednesday cancelled a press conference which was arranged to welcome Hunter back after a very successful Tour de France. Hunter won a sprinting stage, the first ever stage win by an African rider in the Tour, while Mauricio Soler, a member of the South African-sponsored Barloworld team, won the King of the Mountains category. — Sapa