Former German cyclist Andreas Kappes died in the night from Monday to Tuesday at the age of 52. He suffered heart failure after having an allergic reaction to an insect bite.
Andreas Kappes was a professional from 1987 to 2001, winning a stage of the Giro d’Italia in 1988 and the Circuit Het Volk.
He raced for Toshiba, Histor-Sigma, Telekom and Gerolsteiner and others. He won two stages of Paris-Nice, three stages at the Tour of Switzerland, the Tour de Picardie, Paris-Camembert, the Luis Puig Trophy, with a total of 24 road victories at the end of the 80s-90s. He raed on the track and won a silver medal at the 1988 World Track Race as well as a bronze in the 1996, 1998 and 1999 Worlds. He won at the Six Day events 24 times. In 1997 he was suspended for doping for 3 months and avoided another offense in 2000.
He also raced in the Coors Classic in Colorado in the 1980s.
Contemporary Johan Bruyneel remembered Kappes on Twitter, writing: “I’m shocked and saddened reading the tragic news that Andreas Kappes has passed away. Only 52 years old, always a classy guy. I’ve known Andreas since the amateur ranks when we were 18-19 years old. He was a tough rival on the six days velodrome circuit. R.I.P. brother.”
After retiring from track racing, he did window washing. He was to run the Neuss criterium today.
“The race will take place as planned, even if we are all deeply upset,” said Stephan Hilgers, chairman of the organizing club Neusser cyclists, The race will hold a minute of silence to remember Kappes, and racers will wear mourning bands on their sleeves. André Greipel and Rick Zabel are among those set to compete in the race.
Kappas (in blue) racing alongside Davis Phinney in the 1987 Coors Classic
