The accident occurred during the first stage of the prestigious junior race Giro della Valle d'Aosta on Wednesday. Privitera was taken urgently to Parini hospital in Aosta – but his life could not be saved.
His team, Jayco Alula, expresses great sorrow:
"The entire organization mourns the loss of a fantastic, talented rider, with a big heart and a special personality", they write in a statement during the night to Thursday.
What was behind the crash is still unclear.
"The circumstances surrounding the accident are still unclear and are being investigated by the security authorities", the organizer announces on its website.
As a consequence of the death, Thursday's stage was cancelled in Giro della Valle d'Aosta. The competition will resume on Friday, when the third stage begins – with a minute of silence and a memorial ceremony in honor of Samuele Privitera.
The cyclists in the prestigious Tour de France honored Privitera on Thursday with a joint applause in connection with stage 12 of 21, the mountain stage between Auch and Hautacam in the Pyrenees of about 181 kilometers.
