Samuele Privitera (19) dies after crash at Giro della Valle d’Aosta

Privitera, who rode for Hagens Berman Jayco, suffered head injuries after crashing on a descent at high speed. Emergency services were quickly on the scene and performed CPR, before transporting him to hospital. Despite their efforts, he succumbed to his injuries later that evening. The exact circumstances of the crash remain under investigation by local authorities.

Privitera was a promising young climber and a much-loved presence within the Hagens Berman Jayco team. In a statement, team manager Axel Merckx described him as “the life and personality of this team.”

“It is with a very heavy heart that I share news no one in our community ever wanted to hear,” Merckx wrote. “Our rider, our teammate, and our dear friend, Samuele Privitera, has passed away following the race yesterday at Giro Val d’Aosta.

“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.

“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.”

The Giro della Valle d'Aosta organisers have cancelled Thursday’s second stage. The race will resume on Friday in a partially neutralised format.