Dutch amateur Gijs Verdick dies in hospital following cardiac arrests

A week after Gijs Verdick suffered two cardiac arrests at a race in Poland, his Cycling Team Jo Piels have announced that the Dutch amateur has passed away in hospital.

The 21-year-old reportedly suffered the first at 1am on Tuesday, May 3 while at the Carpathian Couriers Race - an under 23 event, where Team Wiggins were also competing.

Then, in hospital, he suffered a second arrest and was placed into an artificial coma. He was reportedly transferred from Tarnówhospital in Poland to the Isala hospital in Zwolle, Netherlands, where he died on Monday.

Cycling Team Jo Piels' original statement read: “[On Tuesday morning], 21-year-old Gijs Verdick, cyclist on the Cycling Team Jo Piels, had a heart attack at around 01:00. Gijs repeatedly was resuscitated and taken to hospital. In hospital, he had a second heart attack and he also incurred brain damage from lack of oxygen."

The team reports that Verdick has donated his organs to save the lives of other people.