UAE Team Emirates reacts to Scarponi's sudden death

Sport360 staff 16:03 22/04/2017
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  • Michele Scarponi

    “Talented”, “leader”, “intelligent”, “funny” – just some of the words used to describe Italian cyclist Michele Scarponi by some that knew him best in cycling’s global fraternity.

    The 37-year-old Astana rider was killed after being struck by a van while out training close to his home in Filottrano in the central Le Marche region of Italy on Saturday.

    The likeable veteran had only returned home on Friday after a triumphant Tour of the Alps, where he claimed a Stage 1 victory and finished fourth overall.

    Scarponi, a Giro d’Italia winner in 2011, had recently been named the leader of the Astana team for this year’s Giro – taking place from May 5-28 – after Fabio Aru was ruled out of the race due to a knee injury.

    The news left those inside the UAE Team Emirates camp preparing for Sunday’s Liege-Bastogne-Liege stunned, including team promoter and former professional rider Mauro Gianetti, who had worked with Scarponi at Lampre – with the UAE team formed this season out of Lampre’s ashes.

    “Michele, the reality is, was a big talent, a big rider, the rider who unified the team,” Gianetti told Sport360 who are staying with UAE Team Emirates at the team’s hotel in the north-east Belgian village of Kanne, near the Dutch border.

    Gianetti 53, was with Lampre when Scarponi claimed Giro glory in 2011.

    “He was always clear and fair with everybody, intelligent and funny. He was a very good rider but when you know him, every day you see all the riders will stay around to speak to him, and surround him, because he’s such a funny guy.

    “No-one would want to leave his company because he’s so funny and entertaining, every day. Not just a star rider, but funny, and intelligent funny, not stupid or vulgar, which is hard to do.

    “He was always the heartbeat of the team, but not just the team, the whole peloton. All our feelings are felt by the whole peloton.

    “He was in our team until four years ago, he won the Giro with us, but we have no more right to grieve than the other teams. He is now in Astana and to cry is for them, we must suffer inside.”

    The news hit the UAE team hard this morning, especially Scarponi’s fellow Italian riders – in particular Diego Ulissi, who Gianetti described as like a little brother to Scarponi.

    “It is hard on the riders. The one it most touches is Diego,” added Gianetti.

    “We will discuss this with him. He was shocked and crying when he heard the news this morning. He is like a small brother for Scarponi.

    “When Scarponi was here (at Lampre), Diego was the young talent, they were always together. He was like his teacher when he first became a professional, his big brother.”

    Although the UAE team roster is mainly Italian, Gianetti insists they will not do anything as a team to remember Scarponi, but he said the riders would be able to make personal tributes to him during Sunday’s race.

    “We will not do anything personally as a team, because we are not an Italian team, but if the riders want to do something, a personal touch, either the Italian riders or Diego because he knew him, that’s no problem,” he added.

    “The best way to honour him is by doing what we’re doing, by carrying on racing and training. This is what we think.

    “Life goes forward and we must go forward with life. That is unfortunately true. Me, personally, I am very sad because I am very friendly with Michele. But we can’t change it. We have a mission. Our mission is tomorrow and it is to transform this emotion into a gift.”

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