Irish club cyclist dies during Tour of Flanders sportive

Pat Coyle suffered a suspected heart attack when climbing the Kwaremont

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An Irish club cyclist has died after suffering a suspected heart attack during the Tour of Flanders sportive yesterday (Saturday, April 2).

Pat Coyle, 56, fell ill and collapsed when ascending Oude Kwaremont, 25 kilometres from the sportive’s finished in Oudenaarde.

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Chris Marshall-Bell

A freelance sports journalist and podcaster, you'll mostly find Chris's byline attached to news scoops, profile interviews and feature writing across a variety of different publications. He has been writing regularly for Cycling Weekly since 2013.


Previously a ski, hiking and cycling guide in a number of places, but mostly in the Canadian Rockies and Spanish Pyrenees, he almost certainly holds the record for the most number of interviews conducted from snowy mountains.


He lives in Valencia, Spain.