Cycling mourns Ballerini
Italian cycling team head coach Franco Ballerini has died following a crash during a rally race.
Last Updated: 07/02/10 1:55pm
Italian cycling team head coach Franco Ballerini has died following a crash during a rally race.
The Italian Cycling Federation website said the 45-year-old Ballerini was taking part as a navigator in the rally on Sunday when his car left the course and crashed. Medical staff at the track spent 45 minutes trying to revive him before he was taken to hospital and declared dead.
The driver, Alessandro Ciardi, was also taken to the hospital with a reported fractured pelvis.
Ballerini had been head coach since 2001 and during his time in charge had led the team to one Olympic gold and four world titles.
He was also a former two-time Paris-Roubaix winner and claimed the Paris-Brussels race in 1990.
