Tributes pour in for Spanish cyclist Arturo Gravalos, who has died aged 25 after a brain tumour

Tributes have been paid to promising young cyclist Arturo Gravalos, who has died from a brain tumour at the age of 25. 

In 2019, Gravalos came second in Spain’s national road race for under-23s, and looked to have a promising future with the Eolo-Kometa team, who he joined in the same year.

The Spanish cyclist underwent surgery for the brain tumour in November 2021, just a few weeks after diagnosis – and despite the initial success, further operations were subsequently required. 

The sad news was confirmed by the Eolo-Kometa team, who tweeted: ‘Arturo, rest in peace friend and mate. You will be always with us.’

The team’s message read: ‘Life has put many obstacles ahead of him in recent times and he always, always reacted with the best of his faces.

Tributes have been paid to young Spanish cyclist Arturo Gravalos, who has died aged 25

The promising road racer underwent operations after being diagnosed with a brain tumour

Gravalos turned professional in 2021, before being diagnosed with his deadly brain tumour

‘The grief or regret he kept for himself, he refused to give it continuity. We will never forget you, Arturo. Rest in peace.’

They added that Gravalos’s death ‘leaves an irreplaceable hole in our hearts’.  

His former team Caja Rural-RGA wrote: ‘We are dismayed by the loss of Arturo Gravalos, who was part of the green family before moving to @EoloKometaTeam, his last team.

‘We want to send a huge hug and all our love to your family and friends in these hard times.’

The Zaragoza-born racer turned professional in 2021, and his last race was that year’s Giro del Medio Brenta.