Samuele Privitera was reportedly thrown off his seat Wednesday after he hit a speed bump. He then lost his helmet and hit his head on a gate.
Italian cyclist Samuele Privitera died Wednesday following a crash at the Giro della Valle d’Aosta, an annual race in the mountainous Aosta Valley in northwestern Italy, his team confirmed on social media. He was 19 years old.
Privitera was thrown from his seat after hitting a speed bump in the municipality of Pontey, according to Italian media. He lost his helmet in the process and collided at high speed with a gate, resulting in a serious head injury, and was transported to a local hospital.
Privitera ultimately died from his injuries. Axel Merckx, director of his cycling team, Hagens Berman Jayco, shared Wednesday on Instagram that “Samuele was and always will be the life and personality of this team.”
“This team has always been a small family, and moments like this are unimaginable,” Merckx wrote. “He was irreplaceable. His joy, his spirt, his kindness, was always a bright light to whatever room or race that he was in at that moment.”
“To lose him is devastating beyond words,” he continued. “Personally, I am struggling to express the sadness I feel but I am deeply grateful for every moment we shared with him and for the joy he brought to our team every single day.”
Privitera was competing in the first stage of the under-23 race when he hit his head. The tournament shared a statement noting that he received swift medical assistance and was taken to the Umberto Parini Hospital. It said the circumstances of his crash “are still unclear.”
The organizers added that the incident is currently being investigated by “public safety authorities” and confirmed that Thursday’s second stage of the race was officially canceled. The third stage is set to start Friday after a moment of silence in Privitera’s honor.
Fellow cyclists, other teams and the Italian Cycling Federation posted heartfelt tributes to the athlete on social media. Three-time Tour de France winner Tadej Pogačar shared a photo of Privitera on Instagram with the words “Rest in Peace.”
“It’s really sad to lose another young talent today,” Pogačar said Thursday, per The Associated Press. “It is one of the most dangerous sports in the world, I think, and the risk that we are taking sometimes is too far. But I’m really, really sad for all his family. May he rest in peace.”
Privitera was three months shy of his 20th birthday. Merckx ended his tribute with a plea.
“He loved the bike, he loved the camera, he loved to smile, he loved to laugh, but most of all he loved his family and his teammates,” he wrote Wednesday. “Please keep Samuele’s family and friends in your thoughts and prayers as they navigate the days ahead.”
“Rest in peace, Samuele,” Merckx concluded. “You will always be part of this team.”
Category: General Sports