Brussels - Belgium cycling lost one of its budding stars on Saturday as the local media reported the death of world junior time-trial champion Igor Decraene aged just 18.
The cause of death was not divulged although the internet site of RTBF said he had been involved in an accident.
Decraens, who was considered to be one of the great hopes of cycling-mad Belgium, won the time-trial title in Florence last year having also collected the national crown.
Decraene was in line to ride for the elite Omega Pharma team's reserves.
Sapa-AFP