Barloworld’s Cox dies
Eurosport – Wed, 01 Aug 15:22:00 2007

South African cyclist Ryan Cox, a member of the Barloworld team, dies after the main artery in his left leg burst.

The 28-year-old, who was not included in the team for this year’s Tour de France, had a vascular lesion operation in France three weeks ago before returning home to recuperate, but was admitted to hospital in Johannesburg on Monday, friends added.

“It was found that the artery had, as a consequence of all the cycling, become knotted as sometimes happens to a garden hose. It often happens to cyclists because they spend so many hours on the bicycles, with their legs bent while pedalling,” said Clint Curtis, who coached Cox as junior.

Barloworld on Wednesday cancelled a planned news conference for South African cyclist Robbie Hunter, who won a stage on the Tour de France and was a close friend of Cox.

The team were a late inclusion in the Tour and produced unexpected stage winners in Hunter and previously unheralded King of the Mountains winner Mauricio Soler of Colombia.