Departure with fatal consequences
Cycling athletes falls in races and dies
07/17/2025 – 07:57 a.m.Reading time: 2 min.
The Giro della Valle d’Aosta Mont Blanc, a competition for young drivers, also takes place in parallel to the Tour de France. But this experienced a serious incident.
A junior race in Italy has been overshadowed by a tragic accident: the young Italian driver Samuele Privitera died after a fall. He was only 19 years old.
During the first stage of the Giro della Valle d’Aosta Mont Blanc there was a serious accident. In a descent near the municipality of Pontey, about 32 kilometers before the finish, Privitera plunged according to the newspaper “Corriere della Sera”, lost his helmet and crashed into a goal. According to initial information, the driver had apparently lost control of his bike after having run over a bump. How exactly the fall came is still the subject of ongoing investigations.
In response to the accident, the second stage planned for Thursday, July 17th, was canceled in Passy (France). The race will continue on Friday with the third stage, which will precede a minute’s silence. In addition, the organization dispenses with all official ceremonies until the end of the tour. It is up to you whether the teams want to continue the race.
The “Greenedge Cycling” team, for which Privitera drove, spoke up on his platforms: “We are deeply shaken by the tragic news that Samuele Privitera died. We mourn an incredibly talented racing driver, with a big heart and a special personality. He died much too early.”
Team boss Axel Merckx was heavily shaken. “Samuele is irreplaceable. His joy, his spirit and friendliness illuminated every room,” said the son of the cycling icon Eddy Merckx. “We are grateful for every moment we had with him.”