'Now they fly together again' - Michele Scarponi’s famous training parrot Franky has passed away

Scarponi, the Italian rider remembered as much for his warmth as for his results, became a social media phenomenon in the final years of his career thanks to an unlikely companion. 

Franky would take off as soon as the bike rolled out, floating behind the rider like a tiny aircraft in the slipstream, then settling on a shoulder or back as if it were the most normal thing in the world. Clips of the duo circulated widely and turned the parrot into a small celebrity beyond the sport

That charm took on a different weight after April 22, 2017, when Scarponi was killed during a training ride near his home in Filottrano after a collision with a van. He was 37. The shock travelled through the peloton, where Scarponi was seen as a teammate who could lighten any day, even in the hardest races.

In the months that followed, Franky remained close to the places Scarponi once rode. Locals sometimes reported seeing the bird near the crash site, and cyclists training in the area would occasionally find themselves joined by the same familiar wings.

This week, that thread snapped. Italian media reported that Franky died in a fire that broke out at an industrial site in the Ancona area, a blaze that left the bird trapped inside the premises. The Fondazione Michele Scarponi confirmed the news on Instagram, sharing a message that quickly spread through cycling circles.

“It is a loss that touches us deeply,” the foundation wrote. “A big hug to Giacomo, who introduced us to Franky and who has seen his life’s work disappear in a devastating fire, in a warehouse where Franky also lived.”

The foundation, created in Scarponi’s memory and focused on road safety, closed its tribute with a line that captured why Franky mattered to so many people. “Michele and Franky now fly together again.”