Italian cyclist Samuele Privitera dies aged 19 after fall
Privitera, who was a member of the Hagens Berman Jayco team, lost his life on Wednesday after an incident on the first stage of the race, near the French and Swiss border in north-western Italy.
'The circumstances of the accident in which he was involved on a downhill stretch of road in Pontey, 32 kilometres from the finish line, which ended in the centre of Aosta, are still unclear,' the FCI said.
'Privitera apparently hit a speed bump and lost control of his bike,' it added.
The second stage of the race on Thursday was cancelled after the death of Privitera, who was in his second season with the US-based team.
'Promptly assisted by the medical services following the race, the young man was taken to the Parini Hospital in Aosta, where he sadly passed away,' race organisers Societa Ciclistica Valdostana said in FCI's statement.
The race will resume with the third stage that has been moved to Friday, from Pre Saint Didier to Col du Gran San Bernardo.
'This will be preceded by a moment of remembrance, and the initial section of the stage will be neutralised in memory of Samuele,' the organisers added.
Last July, 25-year-old Norwegian Andre Drege died during the Tour of Austria, and in 2023, Swiss rider Gino Mader lost his life on the Tour of Switzerland aged 26.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Hindu
an hour ago
- The Hindu
Monfils says he has played his final Toronto Open after opening round loss
Gael Monfils said he has played for the last time in Toronto after crashing out of the Masters in Sunday's opening round of the ATP Masters to a Chilean qualifier. The 38-year-old French tennis icon missed out on four match points to exit 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (7/3) to number 142 Tomas Barrios Vera, who won the first Masters match of his career and ended a seven-match loss streak at the ATP level. Monfils symbolically touched the baseline as he walked off a loser after nearly three hours in torrid summer temperatures approaching 35 Celsius. ALSO READ: Fernandez cruises past Kalinskaya to win Washington Open title 'There's no explanation, it's the last one,' he said. 'It will be two years to play (again) in Toronto, so pretty much I won't be able to play it. Obviously, I think the next one is too old for me, so I think it was the last time I'll play here.' He added: 'I actually thought at the end, and I was like, 'Well, I think it's, unfortunately, but the last time I think I would play here.'' Monfils had little good to say about his effort. 'Without taking credit from my opponent, (it was a) bad match from my side, not the quality that I want, not the level that I want to perform,' he said. '(I need to) try to work hard, feel this winning (habit come) back a little bit and try to still believe. 'Keep my head up, even though it's not easy, but I will try my best.'
Hindustan Times
8 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Motor racing-Hamilton and Verstappen question race delay as others back FIA
By Alan Baldwin HT Image SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, Belgium (Reuters) -Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen questioned race control's handling of the rain-delayed Belgian Grand Prix on Sunday as rival drivers commended Formula One's governing body for putting safety first. The race at Spa-Francorchamps was delayed for an hour and 20 minutes as officials waited for rain to stop and conditions to dry out. The safety car then led the field for four laps before a rolling start. "I think we could have started way sooner, that's not ideal," Red Bull's four times world champion Verstappen told reporters, adding that in the end there had been very little racing in the wet. Hamilton, who went from the pit lane to seventh, said he did not think the rolling start was necessary. "I don't really know why they did that one, because it had dried up quite a lot and the spray wasn't that bad," added the Briton. The high-speed Spa circuit is the longest lap on the calendar and weather conditions can be treacherous. It also has a tragic past. French Formula Two driver Anthoine Hubert died in a crash at the 2019 Belgian Grand Prix at the exit of Raidillon, at the top of the famed Eau Rouge, while Dutch teenager Dilano van't Hoff died in a junior series crash in 2023. The list is much longer when the sport's distant past is considered. "I think the past few years, particularly here, we've given the FIA feedback that we would much rather be on the safe side than risk anything," said McLaren's race winner and championship leader Oscar Piastri. "I think that's what we did today. If you were to be picky, maybe we could have done one less formation lap. But in the grand scheme of things, if that's one lap too early, is it worth it? No." Ferrari's third-placed finisher Charles Leclerc, whose family friend Jules Bianchi suffered fatal injuries in a crash at the rain-hit 2014 Japanese Grand Prix, agreed. "On a track like this with what happened historically, I think you cannot forget about it. For that reason, I'd rather be safe than too early," he said. "Maybe it was a little bit on the late side, but I wouldn't have changed anything." Williams' Carlos Sainz, who started near the back and would have suffered in the spray, supported race control. "In a normal track, yes, I think we could have started maybe 5-10 minutes earlier. In Spa-Francorchamps and the history of this track, it's better safe than sorry," said the Spaniard. (Reporting by Alan Baldwin, editing by Ed Osmond)
Hindustan Times
8 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Cycling-Peerless Pogacar claims fourth Tour title, Van Aert wins brutal final stage
By Julien Pretot HT Image PARIS (Reuters) - Tadej Pogacar claimed his fourth Tour de France title on Sunday, cementing his status as the most dominant rider of his generation and moving alongside Britain's Chris Froome on the all-time winners' list. The 26-year-old Slovenian, who triumphed in 2020, 2021 and 2024, delivered a near-flawless performance, even coming close to prevailing on a spectacular final stage on the Champs Elysees after an epic duel with Belgian Wout van Aert. "Just speechless to win a fourth Tour de France. Six years in a row on the podium and this one feels especially amazing, and I'm super proud that I can wear this yellow jersey," Pogacar, who was second in 2022 and 2023, said. Pogacar attacked relentlessly in the ascents of the Butte Montmartre but eventually suffered a brutal counterpunch from Van Aert, who went solo to win the last stage. The competitive element was largely neutralised on Sunday after organisers decided to freeze the times with about 50 kilometres left due to hazardous road conditions in driving rain. It did not prevent Pogacar from going for it, however, but Van Aert proved to be the best on the day, beating Italian Davide Ballerini and third-placed Matej Mohoric with Pogacar taking fourth place. The world champion effectively sealed his victory in the Pyrenees, with a brutal attack on the climb to Hautacam and a commanding victory in the uphill individual time trial, leaving chief rival Jonas Vingegaard more than four minutes behind. Twice champion Vingegaard of Denmark ended up 4:24 off the pace in Paris. LIPOWITZ THIRD German Florian Lipowitz finished third, 11:00 behind Pogacar, on his Tour debut and won the white jersey for the best Under-25 rider. "This was one of the hardest Tours I've ever been in," Pogacar said. The celebrations turned tense on Sunday when the final stage featured three climbs up Montmartre. Times had been neutralised some 50km from the finish due to slippery roads, but a fierce fight for the stage win still unfolded. Pogacar equalled Froome (2013, 2015–17) and now only trails cycling greats Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault, Jacques Anquetil and Miguel Indurain, who share the record with five titles. Pogacar also secured the polka-dot jersey for the mountains classification, underlining his all-round dominance, while Italy's Jonathan Milan clinched the green jersey for the points competition. For Ineos Grenadiers, the once all-conquering team that ruled the 2010s with victories by Bradley Wiggins, Froome and Geraint Thomas, there was little to celebrate beyond two stage wins by Thymen Arensman. Thomas, a former champion, rode his last Tour in virtual anonymity, as the British team continues to face questions amid doping allegations reported in recent weeks. As tradition dictates, riders entered Paris in celebratory mood, but the finale proved anything but routine with the Montmartre climbs spicing up the closing laps. (Reporting by Julien Pretot; editing by Pritha Sarkar and Ed Osmond)
