Nathan Van Hooydonck will be forced to end his cycling career due to heart complications. The Belgian cyclist from Team Jumbo-Visma was affected by a heart issue last week, leading to his hospitalization. Today, he was discharged from the hospital, but doctors recommended that he retire from professional cycling.
In a statement, Jumbo-Visma said that after extensive hospital examinations, it was discovered that Van Hooydonck had an abnormality in his heart muscle. This disorder nearly cost him his life while he was in the car on the way to the hospital with his pregnant wife. Van Hooydonck had an internal defibrillator (ICD) installed after the incident. This device can be used to correct cardiac arrhythmias. Therefore, professional cycling is no longer possible for him.
In an initial response, Van Hooydonck said the following: “I realize that I’ve been incredibly lucky. If I hadn’t received such prompt and excellent help, things could have turned out differently.”
“I’m fine now, but I still have to accept the fact that it’s the end of my career. I’d like to thank the people who assisted me, the specialized hospital team, and all the fans who sent me messages. Now, I will focus on my recovery and impending fatherhood. Everything is going well with Alicia and the pregnancy, and we are looking forward to the birth. It really helps me a lot at this moment.”