Having just come back from injury, Klaas Lodewyck has had another major setback. Heart problems have forced the BMC rider to withheld from racing in the near future.

Klaas Lodewyck will be withheld from racing for an indefinite amount of time due to a problem with his heart, BMC Racing Team Chief Medical Officer Dr. Max Testa said Wednesday.


Lodewyck competed last month in the Tour de Wallonie, his first competition since breaking his right collarbone in a crash while racing with the Belgian national team in Halle-Ingooigem on June 25.

"He had been experiencing some irregular heart rhythm during racing and training," Dr. Testa said. "We have been investigating it, first by having him evaluated by sports cardiologists in Belgium. The common decision between a specialist there and the BMC Racing Team's medical staff is to rest Klaas for an undetermined amount of time while a thorough investigation is performed."

Before his injury, Lodewyck had been effective in helping teammate Philippe Gilbert win Ster ZLM Toer, Steve Cummings win Tour Méditerranéen and Taylor Phinney win the Dubai Tour. The most aggressive rider at the 2012 Tour of Oman said the situation is depressing.

"Mentally, it is like I am in a big nightmare," Lodewyck said. "Since my crash, it seems like there has always been something and for the last week, I have been to the hospital almost every day for tests."

Dr. Testa said an update on Lodewyck's condition will be shared when more details are known.