Zanardi airlifted to hospital after a serious handbike accident
Alessandro Zanardi, the Paralympic cycling champion, was airlifted to an Italian hospital following a serious accident with a heavy vehicle this Friday.
Many Italian media outlets claim that the former Formula 1 driver had a serious accident in the late afternoon during the Obiettivo Tricolore race near Siena in para-cycling.
According to the Agenzia Nazionale Stampa Associata news agency, the driver was airlifted to Le Scotte Hospital in Siena in critical condition. His life prognosis is considered to be at risk due to numerous traumatic injuries. At present, no official information has been released regarding the health status of the Italian pilot.
Mario Valentini, coach of the Italian handcycling team, witnessed the accident and recounted to the Italian media, Corriere della Serra: « We were in a bend, on a descent that wasn’t difficult, at around 50 km/h. Alex lost control of the handbike, flipped twice, and hit a truck. The impact was terrible. »
Alessandro Zanardi is a recognized figure in the world of sports. He participated in 5 seasons of Formula 1 between 1991 and 1999, was a two-time CART champion in the USA in 1997 and 1998 before his tragic accident in 2001 that cost him his legs. After that, Zanardi won 4 gold medals in para-cycling during the 2012 and 2016 Olympics.
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