Cyclist Samuele Privitera tragically passes away at 19

• Teen cyclist Samuele Privitera, 19, has died following a crash during a race
• The crash took place at the opening stage of the Giro della Valle d’Aosta, his team Hagens Berman Jayco confirmed
• The Italian cyclist crashed during a descent, lost his helmet, hit a gate, and later died in the hospital, according to reports
• Organizers canceled Thursday’s stage following Privitera’s passing, with the race set to resume Friday after a moment of silence

Promising young cyclist Samuele Privitera has died from injuries he suffered in a crash during the first stage of the Tour of Valle D’Aosta, his team Hagens Berman Jayco confirmed Thursday. He was 19 years old.

“It is with a very heavy heart that I share news no one in our community ever wanted to hear. Our rider, our teammate, and our dear friend, Samuele Privitera, has passed away following the race yesterday at Giro Val d’Aosta,” Axel Merckx, owner of Hagens Berman Jayco, said in a statement released on social media.

“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. He was irreplaceable. His joy, his spirit, 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. 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. 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,” Merckx continued.

The team’s owner and general manager also asked the public, “Please keep Samuele’s family and friends in your thoughts and prayers as they navigate the days ahead. On behalf of everyone at Hagens Berman Jayco, thank you for standing with us and honoring Samuele’s memory.”

“Rest in peace, Samuele. You will always be part of this team,” he concluded his poignant post

CNN affiliate SkyTG24 reported that Privitera fell during a descent, causing his helmet to come off before he struck his head on a gate.

The teen cyclist was rushed to the hospital but succumbed to his injuries, GMA News reported.

According to The New York Times, Thursday’s second stage was canceled following the tragic incident, and the race will continue with stage three on Friday, beginning with a moment of silence.

News, photos or videos that arouse the interest of netizens would often go viral on social media, due to the attention netizens give them. These viral posts appeal to the emotions of netizens, and in rare cases, such could also happen to ordinary people, making them very relatable to almost everyone who get to read about the stories online.

Previously, Portuguese footballer and Liverpool forward Diogo Jota, 28, has died in a car crash in Spain on July 3. His 26-year-old brother, Andre Silva, a fellow pro footballer who played for Penafiel in the second tier of Portuguese soccer, also died in the accident. Jota’s unfortunate passing came just days after he married his long-term partner Rute Cardoso, with whom he shares three kids. The couple tied the knot on June 22 in Porto, his home city.

Earlier, Georgia O'Connor, a British professional boxer, has died at 25. Her promoter, Boxxer, took to social media last May 22 to confirm her demise. The sports promoter likewise left an earnest message to her loved ones. O'Connor announced earlier this year that she had been diagnosed with cancer after previously battling ulcerative colitis. The late athlete’s passing came just two weeks after marrying the “love of her life.” The couple tied the knot on May 9, 2025.

Source: KAMI.com.gh