The driver of the truck involved in the crash this morning that claimed the life of 2011 Giro d'Italia champion Michele Scarponi failed to give way at a junction and said he "did not see" the cyclist, according to press reports in Italy.
Scarponi, aged 37, died at the scene of the collision which happened at 8 o'clock this morning while he was on a training ride in his home town of Filottrano in the country's Marche region.
> Tributes paid to Michele Scarponi
Pictures on the website of regional newspaper Il Resto del Carlino show extensive damage to the front of the Fiat Iveco flatbed lorry, including a smashed windscreen.
The newspaper says that the driver, a local man aged 57, failed to give way to Scarponi at a crossroads, and that the driver told Caribinieri officers afterwards that he had not seen the cyclist.
The Astana rider's funeral is likely to be held in his home town's sports centre through the wishes of his family as well as the expected number of mourners, according to the newspaper.
In a post on Instagram showing Scarponi preparing for a race with his twin sons nearby, his wife Anna expressed her thanks to everyone who has offered their condolences, on a day that has left the world of professional cycling united in shock and grief.
Simon has been news editor at road.cc since 2009, reporting on 10 editions and counting of pro cycling’s biggest races such as the Tour de France, stories on issues including infrastructure and campaigning, and interviewing some of the biggest names in cycling. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, his background has proved invaluable in reporting on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, and the bike industry. He splits his time between London and Cambridge, and loves taking his miniature schnauzer Elodie on adventures in the basket of her Elephant Bike.