Belgian rider Wouter Weylandt died following a crash during the third stage of the Giro d'Italia 2011 earlier this afternoon.

"Despite immediate treatment there was nothing we could do," Giro d'Italia doctor Giovanni Tredici told Rai Television.

Team Leopard-Trek rider Weylandt, 26, fell off his bike in the curvy descent from the Passo del Bocco.

Doctors at the scene cut off his helmet and performed CPR treatment for 40 minutes but in vain.

Helmets have been mandatory in cycling since the death of Kazakhstan's Andrei Kivilev during the Paris-Nice race in 2003. Italian Thomas Casarotto died following a crash during last year's Giro del Friuli.

The last rider to die in a crash in a grand tour was Italy's Fabio Casartelli during the 1995 Tour de France.

Weylandt claimed his biggest career win when he won the third stage of last year's Giro.

Team QuickStep - Wouter Weylandt's former team - issued the following statement after hearing about Weylandt's death.

"On behalf of the entire Quick-Step Cycling team our hearts go out to Wouter's family, friends and the colleagues of Team Leopard, in this sad, sad time. For all of us, Wouter was a friend before he was a colleague.

We remember him as an honest man, always available with a smile on his face and forever generous towards the next guy. Wouter leaves us with a terrible sense of loss and unbearable grief.

We want to remember him with arms held high, crazy with joy after a victory, like the one at Middelburg (Giro d'Italia stage, ed.) last year. This is the image of him that all of us will carry in our hearts forever."

Overall Giro d'Italia favorite Vincenzo Nibali (Team Liquigas) posted the following statement on Twitter. "I can't find any words to complain my feeling about Wouter death. It's surreal. all my thoughts for his wife, family and friends. Ciao Wouter."

Seven time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong commented "Just back from a run and got the news of Wouter Weylandt's death today in the Giro. I'm shocked and saddened. May he rest in peace."

Briton Mark Cavendish of Team HTC-Highroad wrote on his Twitter feed "Things like this shouldn't happen. Absolutely sick to the stomach. My thoughts are with his family. RIP Wouter Weylandt."

Team Leopard-Trek riders wear Bontrager Oracle helmets in the 2011 season.

Here at Roadcycling.com our deepest sympathy and thoughts are with both Wouter and his whole family. We have chosen not to show any photos of the terrible accident.