Michele Scarponi

[Geoffv]

Sad to hear the death of Michele Scarponi this morning. A truly gifted cyclist who won the Giro in 2011 (after Contador's disq)

http://www.gazzetta.it/Ciclismo/22-04-2 ... 1920.shtml

[sibrown4]

That is tragic. He is a translation of that Gazetta announcement.

Michele Scarponi, deceduto a 37 anni. Lapresse

Michele Scarponi died this morning in a road accident at Filottrano. The athlete clashed frontally with a lorry on the way to the industry. A normal workout has turned into a tragedy, all under the gaze of dozens of motorists who immediately realized the gravity of the situation. Activated 118, the operating center sent an ambulance that within a few minutes reached the site of the intervention. Meanwhile, from the Torrette Regional Hospital in Ancona, the helicopter was flying. The resuscitation anesthetist could not but see the death. Scarponi, 37, died on the blow.
GIRO - Professional since 2002, known to everyone for the great climber, Scarponi had won Giro d'Italia 2011 after disqualification of Alberto Contador and had just been promoted to the Kazakh team captain for the next Giro d'Italia after the Fabio Aru's forfait. Just five days ago he had won the first leg of the Tour of the Alps wearing the leader's shirt, the same one that led to his twin children on Friday night, as the photo shows on twitter. Scarponi was well known and appreciated for his human talents: smiling and always ready to beat, he often began training with his Frankie parrot , taken over several times in videos posted on his twitter profile. He was one of the most beloved racers in the group. Leave his wife and two twin children. This is a very heavy news for the world of cycling, less than two weeks after the Giro d'Italia, the race that saw him win three stages between 2009 and 2010. In 2009, he also won the general ranking of the Tyrrhenian Adriatic.

[Moist von Lipwig]

Christ, that's a shock. Won his first stage in a good few years this week and was leader for the Giro. He must have been a happy bloke this week and then for this to happen. Always feels worse when there's small children left behind.

[sibrown4]

Absolutely. Posted a pic on his twitter feed playing with his children earlier this week with the caption "If only for 1 day" So tragically prophetic

[murf]

That is a big, horrible, shock. Tragic.

[El Tel of Ealing]

Yesterday lunchtime I watched him ride out a top finish in the final stage of The Tour of the Alps.I had pencilled him into my Giro team.One last chance to lead a team,free of support duties for Nibali and Aru.There may be some dodginess in his past,but training after 5 such tough days indicates the dedication which underpinned his undoubted talent.A sad loss.

[unc.si.]

Horrible for his family and a huge loss to cycling.

[SPR]

Big shock. RIP.