February 17, 2010 (Casalguidi, Italy) – The large family of world cycling mourned the death of Franco Ballerini, victim of a fatal accident on February 7 during a car rally in Larciano, Tuscany, the region of Italy where he comes from. His funeral was held on February 9 in Casalguidi, Italy, where crowds of mourners amassed to pay tribute to the great fallen cyclist.

Ballerini, who has been a car racing enthusiast for several years, was participating in this event as a co-pilot: the pilot of the car, his compatriot Alessandro Ciardi, is in a coma.

During his brilliant professional cycling career Franco Ballerini, who was 45 years old, won, among others, Paris-Roubaix in 1995 and 1998. In 2001 he was appointed Technical Commissaire for the Italian professional road team, which, under his wing won four UCI World Championship titles with Mario Cipollini in 2001, Paolo Bettini in 2006 and 2007 and Alessandro Ballan in 2008.

In this sad moment for the sport of cycling, which has lost one of its most endearing and respected personalities, the UCI expresses its deepest sympathy to the family of Franco Ballerini, who leaves behind his wife Sabrina and his two sons Gianmarco and Matteo, as well as to the Italian Cycling Federation.