Cycling mourns the death of Italian superstar cyclist Michele Scarponi
Former Giro d'Italia winner and Team Astana rider killed instantly in collision with a van on a crossroads near his home in Filottrano, Italy
Only days after finishing fourth overall in the Tour of the Alps where he won a stage, team Astana have officially announced the tragic death of the 37-year-old rider who was due to lead the team into the Giro d'Italia.
One of the best stage racers in the world, Scarponi’s greatest victory came in 2011 when he won the Giro d’Italia overall having won many stages in previous years.
He finished fourth in the Giro d’Italia on three other occassions, with victories in Tirreno-Adriatico in 2009 and the Volta a Catalunya and Giro del Trentino in 2011.
Team Astana issued this statement today:
This is a tragedy too big to be written.
Our athlete Michele Scarponi died this morning while he was training on his bike close to his home in Filottrano. Michele has been hitted by a van on a crossroad.
Born in September 25th 1979, he left a wife and two kids.
Michele ended 4th in the Tour of Alps yesterday afternoon in Trento. Then he went home in Filottrano (Ancona) by car with his masseur and was home in the evening to his family.
This morning Michele went out on his bike for an early morning training and there the tragedy happened.
We left a great champion and a special guy, always smiling in every situation, he was a real mile stone and a landmark for everyone in the Astana Pro Team.
The Astana Pro Team clings to the Michele family in this incredibly painful moment of sorrow and mourning.
A huge loss to professional cycling and the cycling community. Another great talent's life brought short by the inadequate protection of cyclists on public roads.
Our deepest sympathies to his family, friends and the team.
Greg Van Avermaet said today "I knew Scarponi personally, it is a great loss. As cyclists, we cycle unprotected on public roads and accept the risks. However, when we do get hit, it's usually very serious," Van Avermaet continues "Therefore we choose as often as possible to cycle on roads without traffic, and rely on drivers to be careful and give us adequate space. We have our place on public roads."
Michele Scarponi, the only cyclist that trained with a parrot.
— Tancredi Palmeri (@tancredipalmeri) April 22, 2017
Rest in peace and bicycle pic.twitter.com/MBCSC1itC7
VIDEO: Ciao Scarpa - Best Of Michele Scarponi
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