(Report translated from the Sporza website) The Belgian cycling world mourns Jolien Verschueren. The 31-year-old cyclocross rider passed away last night after a courageous battle with cancer. She was diagnosed with a brain tumor in 2018, but that didn’t stop her from continuing to cycle. In April 2018, Jolien Verschueren had to leave her cross bike for a while after undergoing brain surgery. A few years earlier, after a fall during training, a tumor had been discovered in the brain and that tumor turned out to be malignant. Despite the setback, Verschueren did not lose heart and remained combative. The cyclo-cross rider, a kindergarten teacher by profession, illustrated her perseverance with a return to the field at the end of 2019. Results were secondary, but Verschueren was able to finish a full winter full of fighting spirit. In March 2020, Verschueren announced that she would set up her own cycling team after the nursery teacher’s contract with Pauwels Sauzen-Bingoal was not extended. Last winter, however, she hardly raced for the ‘Tauris team’.
The Belgian cycling federation announces that Verschueren passed away last night. Until her illness, she was one of the best female CX riders in our country and, among other things, twice won the very tough Koppenbergcross in Oudenaarde.
Rest in Peace Jolien…Our sincere condolences to Jolien’s family and friends on behalf of the Irish CX fraternity…Rust in Vrede
