Jumbo-Visma's Nathan Van Hooydonck announces retirement from professional cycling following traffic accident
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Updated 20/09/2023 at 16:54 GMT
Jumbo-Visma's Nathan Van Hooydonck has announced his retirement from professional cycling after having an internal defibrillator (ICD) fitted. The rider was taken to hospital last week after he was involved in a serious collision, with the rider having felt unwell at the wheel. On Wednesday the Belgian confirmed that he would be retiring from professional cycling after a six-year career.
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Nathan Van Hooydonck has confirmed that he will be retiring from professional cycling after he was fitted with an internal defibrillator on Tuesday.
It comes after the Team Jumbo-Visma rider was involved in a traffic accident last week.
Following the incident, his team confirmed that the rider’s health situation “was not critical”, but have now stated that the cyclist, who joined Jumbo-Visma in 2021, “was diagnosed with a heart muscle anomaly that had nearly claimed his life last Tuesday.”
Unfortunately, the news means Van Hooydonck on Wednesday announced his retirement from professional cycling, bringing an end to a six-year career.
“I realise that I was incredibly lucky”, Van Hooydonck said in a statement released on Jumbo-Visma’s website.
“Things may have gone differently if I hadn’t gotten good help so quickly.
“I’m fine now, but I still have to deal with the fact that this marks the end of my professional career.
“I would like to express my gratitude to the people who helped me, the medical team at the hospital and all the fans who sent me messages.
“I will now focus on my recovery and my upcoming fatherhood. Everything is going well with Alicia and the pregnancy, and we eagerly anticipate the birth. That really helps me now.”
Following the accident, Jumbo-Visma released a statement reading: “Nathan Van Hooydonck is awake and did not suffer injuries because of the traffic accident earlier today. His health situation is not critical.
“Further medical examinations have to determine why Nathan became unwell, while driving his car. We want to thank everyone for the messages and the medical staff in the hospital for taking such good care of Nathan and his family.”
Van Hooydonck, who turned pro 2017 with BMC Racing Team, is the nephew of two-time Tour of Flanders winner Edwig Van Hooydonck and had recently rode in the Tour of Britain.
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