Soudal Quick-Step rider Gianmarco Garofoli was left "helpless, fragile and completely overwhelmed" after being struck by a hit and run driver while training on the island of Tenerife yesterday, he revealed on social media.
The 23-year-old Italian, fresh from riding the AlUla Tour with the Belgian team, was training in Teide National Park when he was struck by a car from behind at what he described as high speed. He appears to have escaped with only superficial injury but was left traumatised by the incident.
"I was run over by a hit-and-run: he was coming from behind at full speed, over 100km/h, well over the limit," Garofoli wrote on Instagram. "I was perfectly visible: I was wearing a fluorescent yellow vest and had my red rear light flashing."
"Nevertheless, he hasn't slowed down, hasn't moved, hasn't done anything. Snuck up behind my shoulder and hit me with the rear view mirror and the front of the car. At that moment I realized that if he had hit me head-on, I probably wouldn't be here today," he added.
The climber, who was fourth on the Sestriere stage of last year's Giro d'Italia, also posted pictures of the aftermath of the collision. These included the grazes and scuffs he suffered to his body and shoes, as well as one of him holding the door mirror glass that had fallen from the housing of the car that struck him.
As serendipity would have it, upon returning to his hotel "still in shock", Garofoli spotted the offending white Seat car, complete with missing mirror and scuffed bumper. "I immediately called the police, who handled the case and identified the driver," he wrote.
Garofoli went to hospital where he was found to have extensive bruising on his left side, but no broken bones.
"Inside though, something is broken anyway," he wrote. "I share all of this not to create controversy, but to remember how vulnerable we are on the road and all it takes is one second, one wrong choice, to change a life. This is how it goes today. Tomorrow we start again, with a little more fear, but with so much gratitude to still be here."
