Wanty Group rider Antoine Demoitié has died as a result of his injuries following a crash in the Gent-Wevelgem race yesterday.
Demoitié hit the deck with four other riders with 115kms to go but was struck by a motorbike as he lay on the ground.
The 25 year old Belgian was taken to hospital in Ypres and transferred to the intensive care unit of the university hospital in Lille but after midnight local time, AFP and Directvelo.com reported that Demoitié had died as a result of his injuries.
"The rider died. An inquiry is under way to determine the circumstances," Frederic Evrard, a spokesman for the Nord-Pas-de-Calais regional gendarmerie in France, said to AFP.
Team Sky's Geraint Thomas was amongst those offering their condolences and he tweeted: "Incredibly sad news this morning. My thoughts with Antoine Demoitié's loved ones and teammates."