The Landbouwkrediet-Colnago team has reported that sports director Claude Vancoillie died Friday evening at a hospital in Mouscron. The 55 year old had been battling serious illness since May.
"We will always remember Claude as an optimistic person, who has always been committed body and soul for its riders," the team said in a statement. "Claude will always remain one of ours! May he rest in peace."
Vancoillie came to the Landbouwkrediet-Colnago in 2004 as the athletic director after more than a decade as sports director for the Vlaanderen 2002 squad. The Four Days of Dunkirk, where he helped organize the stage three finish in Ypres, was one of the last races he attended.
The Belgian, who had one of his legs amputated, continued to compete athletically and became world champion in his UCI category in 1986.