Former Belgian Road Race champion Serge Baguet has passed away at the age of 47. He died in Sint-Lievens-Houtem in East Flanders this morning after a long battle with illness.

Serge enjoyed a long career, starting with the Lotto team in 1990 before joining Vlaanderen 2002-Eddy Merckx six years later. During this time, he took wins in stages of the Tour of Britain and the Tour du Limousin. He then decided to step away from professional cycling to work as a roofer.

He resumed his pro career with Lotto in 2000 where he spent another six years before signing for Quick Step-Innergetic in 2006 where he spent the final two years of his career.

During this second stint as a pro, he took his biggest wins including the Belgian title in 2005 and in 2001, he won the 17th stage of the Tour de France. He outsprinted Jakob Piil at the end of the 194-kilometre stage to Montluçon, as they narrowly held off the peloton.

In 2014, while on a cycling holiday in Spain, Serge was taken to hospital after falling ill. Doctors found a tumour and he underwent chemotherapy and surgery. He remained upbeat though, and aimed to return to the bike in 2016. He had hoped he had beaten the illness but it was not to be. He leaves behind a wife and a son.

The video shows the final metres of that Tour de France stage victory in 2001 and how much the win meant to Serge.

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