Cycling-Veteran Scarponi killed in road accident while training

Italian cyclist Michele Scarponi has been killed in a road accident after being hit by a van while training close to his home in Filottrano, his Astana team said on Saturday.

The 37-year-old finished the Tour of Alps on Friday and left home early on Saturday morning for a training ride where the accident occurred at a crossroads.

"We left a great champion and a special guy, always smiling in every situation, he was a real mile stone and a landmark for everyone in the Astana Pro Team," Astana said in a statement.

Scarponi is survived by his wife and two children.

(This article has not been edited by DNA's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)