Italy's government on Monday, through the junior minister responsible for sport, offered condolences to the family and teammates of Belgian cyclist Wouter Weylandt, who died during the third stage of the Giro d'Italia, according to dpa. Rocco Crimi described the 26-year-old Weylandt's death as a "tragedy." "Our thoughts, those of the government, and the whole of Italian sport, go to the family of the athlete, to his teammates and to the friends of the Belgian (Cycling) Federation," Crimi said. Meanwhile Giro d'Italia director Angelo Zomegnan, as quoted by the ANSA news agency, said Tuesday's stage would be held as scheduled, but that no award-giving ceremony or other celebrations would take place out of respect for Weylandt. "We will give the riders free choice on whether to participate in tomorrow's (Tuesday's) stage. We will respect any choice they make," Zomegnan said. Weylandt crashed in a descent with some 25 kilometres left in the stage. Doctors tried in vain to save his life. He is the fourth rider to die in the history of the Giro.
