God is Dead: The Rise and Fall of Frank Vandenbroucke, Cycling's Great Wasted Talent

God Is Dead tells the gripping, heartbreaking story of Frank Vandenbroucke — one of cycling’s brightest, most mercurial talents. In the late ’90s, VDB was unstoppable: a Belgian superstar with movie‑star looks, effortless style on the bike, and victories in huge races like Liège–Bastogne–Liège, Paris–Nice and Ghent–Wevelgem. Fans called him God for a reason.

But behind the glamour and the genius was a man constantly battling himself. As fast as his career rose, his personal life spiralled. Wild nights mixing pills and alcohol, clashes with team bosses, depression, addiction, crashes, court cases — Vandenbroucke’s story became a tragic descent that the cycling world watched with disbelief. He threatened his wife, attempted suicide twice, and famously claimed performance‑enhancing drugs found in his home were “for the dog.”

Just when it seemed he might be turning things around, the unthinkable happened: in October 2009, at only 34, Vandenbroucke was found dead in a hotel room in Senegal.

Award‑winning author Andy McGrath pieces together VDB’s extraordinary life through exclusive interviews with family, friends, and former teammates. The result is a raw, compelling portrait of a prodigy whose brilliance and self‑destruction made him unforgettable. It’s the untold story of a rider who could have ruled the sport — and the demons that wouldn’t let him.