Cycling mourns loss of Carly Hibberd

AUSTRALIAN cycling is mourning the death of Carly Hibberd after the 26-year-old Queenslander was hit by a car during a training ride in Italy.

Carly Hibberd

AUSTRALIAN cycling is mourning the death of Carly Hibberd after the 26-year-old Queenslander was hit by a car during a training ride in northern Italy.

Hibberd, 26, from Brisbane, was out training in the Como region of Lombardy, when she was struck by a car driven by an unnamed woman.

She was riding with Colombian cyclist Diego Tamayo between the towns of Appiano and Lurate Caccivo, north of of Milan, when she was struck by the car. Tamayo was not injured.

An emergency air ambulance was dispatched but Hibberd was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police are investigating the incident and preparing a report for the local coroner.

Hibberd moved to Italy at the start of  2009. News of her death shocked the peloton at the Tour de France  with leading Australian Cadel Evans devastated by the incident. 

“I'm very, very sorry, I ride that road too,”  Evans said on Twitter from the Tour.

Countrymen Richie Porte,  Stuart O’Grady and Mark Renshaw were also among those that tweeted their sadness at the loss.

The death brings back memories of the 2005 accident that killed leading Australian road cyclist Amy Gillett, 29, and left five Australian teammates injured when a car ploughed into them as they trained for a road race in Germany.

Hibberd, who  joined the Cassina Rizzardi A Style Fionucci team at the start of the season, rode the women's edition of the Giro d'Italia.

She had spent time at the Queensland Academy of Sport before heading overseas to pursue her dream of riding professionally.

Cycling Australia High Performance chief Kevin Tabotta said today: “At times cycling is a very dangerous sport. Our daily ground involves the road which we share with cars, trucks and other vehicles.

“Tragically, Carly Hibberd's death is another sad reality of our sport. Everyone associated with Cycling Australia extends our deepest condolences to the family.”