The Belgian cyclist Michael Goolaerts has died in hospital after suffering a cardiac arrest during Sunday’s Paris-Roubaix race

The 23-year-old’s death was confirmed by Véranda’s Willems-Crelan in a statement on their Twitter account.

Goolaerts was taken to a hospital after receiving CPR treatment on the side of the road after a crash.

The statement from Véranda’s Willems-Crelan read: “It is with unimaginable sadness that we have to communicate the passing of our rider and friend Michael Goolaerts. He passed away on Sunday evening at 22.40 in Lille hospital in the presence of his family members and loved ones, who we keep in our thoughts. He died of cardiac arrest, all medical assistance was to no avail.”

Goolaerts is the third Belgian rider to die in recent years during a race. Antoine Demoitié died following a crash with a motorbike during the Gent-Wevelgem road classic in 2016. In 2011 Wouter Weylandt died after crashing during the Giro d’Italia.

On Sunday, the Paris-Roubaix race went on without Goolaerts and world champion Peter Sagan became the first rider since 1981 to claim the Queen of the Classics with the rainbow jersey on his shoulders.