The dangers of training on public roads have once again been laid bare with the devastating news of two incidents involving professional cyclists, underscoring the persistent risks riders face simply preparing for competition. Nineteen-year-old Sara Piffer was tragically killed today in Trentino, Italy, when a car driver overtaking another vehicle hit her head-on during a training ride, leaving her family and teammates devastated.
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ToggleOn the same day, Canadian rider Sarah Van Dam was struck by the wing mirror of a van while training in Adelaide. Although she avoided falling, the collision left her with a broken collarbone, forcing her out of upcoming races. These incidents, while heartbreaking on their own, are part of a much larger pattern that continues to plague the professional cycling community: a systemic lack of safety for riders forced to share public roads with motor vehicles. From fatalities to severe injuries, collisions involving car drivers have become a recurring danger, with professional cyclists risking their lives just to pursue their careers.
Sara Piffer killed by driver making overtake in Trentino
Nineteen-year-old Sara Piffer tragically lost her life today when a driver hit her head-on while overtaking another car on a quiet road in Trentino, Italy. Piffer, who was training with her brother Christian, suffered fatal injuries despite efforts from emergency responders to revive her. Christian sustained minor injuries, but the devastating loss of his sister has once again brought the issue of road safety for cyclists into sharp focus.
Local police confirmed that a 70-year-old driver was responsible for the collision, which occurred on a rural stretch of road between Mezzocorona and Mezzolombardo. Piffer, a promising young athlete with Team Mendelspeck in 2025 had raced for them at major races like Trofeo Alfredo Binda and Strade Bianche last season. She had been preparing for the upcoming season.
Sarah Van Dam suffers broken collarbone in Adelaide
Meanwhile, also today, Ceratizit-WNT announced that their Canadian rider Sarah Van Dam is recovering from a fractured collarbone after a van driver clipped her during a training ride. Van Dam didn’t actually fall but simply the impact from the wing mirror has caused the break. She will now be sidelined from further competition in Australia.
Drivers continue to cause serious injuries to pro cyclists
These latest incidents are grim reminders of the many cases where cyclists have been severely injuredโor worseโby reckless or inattentive drivers in recent years. In July 2024, Italian pro Matteo Moschetti was hospitalised after a truck driver collided with him near Milan, leaving him with multiple fractures. That followed only a couple of months after German rider Lennard Kรคmna found himself in intensive care after a driver turned left into his lane during a training session in Tenerife earlier this year. Kรคmna suffered numerous injuries and spent weeks in hospital, with his team describing the incident as “avoidable had the driver been more aware.”
British rider Kate Richardsonโs experience in Yorkshire last Summer also highlighted the dangers. Richardson was struck from behind by a driver in a 4×4, who then fled the scene after verbally abusing her. She suffered a refractured scapula and described the incident as โterrifying,โ adding, โItโs hard to accept this just because I chose to train on public roads.โ
French rider Cรฉlia Le Mouel, who was struck by a driver in Brest in November 2024, spoke out at the time about the vulnerability cyclists feel. โSadly, itโs yet another car-versus-bike accident, with too little vigilance from motorists toward cyclists. Weโre so much more vulnerable than themโwithout any protective shellโand all we want is to train or move about safely without fearing being run overโ she said.
Irish rider Imogen Cotter has become an advocate for road safety after her experience of being hit head-on by a 19-year-old driver whilst training in 2022. She would return to racing but ultimately retired in 2024 as a result of the crash, which left her with PTSD even after the physical injuries had healed. โIโve found myself crying at the side of the road on multiple occasions after close passes. I started to wonder, why was I putting myself through this? I didnโt nearly die two years ago just to spend my days on this planet feeling unhappy. We only have one life. Thatโs when I knew it was time for a change.
Fatal collisions highlight the stakes
The dangers are not just limited to injuries. Belgian Under-23 Paris-Roubaix winner Tijl De Decker died after colliding with a car during training in August 2023. In a similarly harrowing case the year before, Italian cycling legend Davide Rebellin was killed when a truck driver struck him at a junction and fled the scene. Rebellin was a beloved figure in the sport, had only recently retired from pro racing from a 30-year career. The driver would ultimately be jailed for four years in 2024, having only turned himself in around 8 months after the death happened. It would be the latest of a string of legal issues with another hit-and-run incident and a drink-drive charge almost 10 years before.
The legacies of Amy Gillett & Amy Dombrowski
Amy Gillett
In 2005, Australian cyclist Amy Gillett was killed when a young driver lost control of her vehicle and collided head-on with Gillett and five of her teammates during a training ride near Zeulenroda, Germany. The crash left Gillettโs teammates Katie Brown, Lorian Graham, Kate Nichols, Alexis Rhodes, and Louise Yaxley with severe injuries. Some of them required extensive surgeries and rehabilitation, with Rhodes and Yaxley suffering particularly significant trauma. The driver involved was fined โฌ1,440 and banned from driving for eight months, an outcome widely regarded as inadequate by the cycling community.
Amy Gillett Foundation
Following this tragedy, the Amy Gillett Foundation was established to promote road safety and support injured cyclists. The foundation became a key voice for change, campaigning for laws like “A Metre Matters” to enforce safe passing distances for cyclists and funding scholarships for young riders. The foundation re-established and strengthened itself in 2024 after a successful rescue mission. That was partly funded by Michael Drapac, who ran an Australian cycling team for around 15 years and lost his own son Damion when a driver struck him head-on in 2019.
The Foundation continues to run initiatives like road safety campaigns, advocacy & policy reform, research & evidence based-solutions and the continued push for greater accountability for drivers who endanger cyclists. Gillettโs mother, Mary Safe, has since worked with other organisations to educate drivers and advocate for cyclist protection, ensuring Amyโs story continues to inspire change.
Amy Dombrowski
Amy Dombroski, a 26-year-old American cyclo-cross racer for the Young Telenet-Fidea team, was tragically killed in 2013 during a training ride in Belgium. Dombroski was motor-pacing behind a scooter near Sint-Katelijne-Waver when a collision occurred with a truck. The driver of the scooter miraculously avoided injury, but Dombroski was fatally struck, with the impact leaving her with injuries too severe to survive. Dombroski had moved to Belgium to advance her cyclo-cross career and had recently competed in several prominent events, including the UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships. Her death left the cycling community in shock, as she had been seen as one of the most promising talents in American cyclo-cross.
The Amy D. Foundation
In the wake of her tragic passing, the Amy D. Foundation was established to honour Amy Dombroskiโs legacy and to empower young women in cycling. The foundation offers support to female riders aspiring to reach elite levels of competition through mentorship programs, training camps, and racing opportunities. Its work extends across multiple disciplines, including road, mountain biking, cyclocross, and gravel. The foundation also focuses on fostering inclusivity and addressing barriers to entry in the sport, especially for those from underrepresented communities. With its initiatives, the Amy D. Foundation has nurtured numerous young athletes and inspired a generation of female cyclists to pursue their ambitions, embodying Dombroskiโs spirit of determination and passion for the sport.
The repeated tragedies are just the tip of the iceberg, with many more stories acting as stark reminders that pro cyclists are forced to expose themselves to genuine life and death danger simply to pursue their careers. Until stricter road safety measures are universally adopted, the risks remain unacceptable.
Road safety in the UK for cyclists
Cycling remains a growing trend in the UK, with traffic increasing by 40% since 2004, but safety concerns persist. In 2023, there were 87 cyclist fatalities, down slightly from 91 in 2022, and 14,999 reported casualties overall, representing a 4% decrease year-on-year. While the casualty rate per mile has declined by 30% over the past two decades, cyclists remain vulnerable compared to other road users. For every billion miles travelled, 1,032 cyclists were killed or seriously injured in 2023, compared to just 43 car occupant casualties. Men continue to make up the majority of serious cycling accidents, while injuries among children have dropped by 20% over the last decade. Geographically, London reports the highest rate of cycling injuries per journey, with South East England also showing concerning numbers, while Scotland records the lowest rate per capita. Accidents peak during summer and mid-week commutes, stating the need for targeted interventions during high-risk periods.
Efforts to improve cycling safety have included 20mph speed zones and the introduction of Low Traffic Neighbourhoods, but progress has stagnated in recent years. While these measures have helped, organisations such as Cycling UK are calling for a comprehensive national strategy to better connect local initiatives and create safer cycling infrastructure. Encouragingly, the casualty rate has not risen in line with the increase in cycling traffic, suggesting long-term improvements, but more must be done. With continued investment in infrastructure, education, and public awareness, there is potential to make cycling a safer, more viable option for all road users. The latest statistics highlight that while progress has been made, the challenge of protecting cyclists remains urgent.
All data reflects the most recent reports as of January 2025.
Main photo credit: IPA/SIPA