Cycling, last farewell to Davide Rebellin. Simoni’s anger: “No more massacres on the roads”

LONIGO – The miniature of a wrought iron racing bike resting on the light fir coffin, a little further on three gold medals and around it photos, flowers, training partners, faces and names from the past like Bugno and Chiappucci. This is how a cycling champion greets himself, this is how a packed church accompanied Davide Rebellin, 51, overwhelmed and killed by a pirate truck on 30 November last sprint. More than twenty days have passed since the silver medalist athlete at the 2008 Beijing Olympics was hit and abandoned on the street.

His fate crossed that of a German truck driver with a criminal record for hit and run and driving under the influence of alcohol: his name is Wolfgang Rieke, he’s 62 years old. After the accident, he stopped for a few moments to look at the dented bodywork and the helpless body on the asphalt, but he didn’t hesitate to get back into the driver’s cab and resume his journey home. The anger of many is generated precisely by this, by the infamous end that this meek man found. In Lonigo, his town, they posted a huge banner right in front of the Cathedral: “Thank you Davide, great man: example of humility and tenacity”. In church friends and relatives took turns at the microphone, their words made the memory of the person and the champion vivid. “I have an anger inside that I struggle to speak,” said Gilberto Simoni, Gibo, winner of two pink jerseys. “Dear David, you weren’t perfect, you didn’t have this presumption. But you were the best comrade, friend and adversary. It was a pride to beat you, it was an honor to be beaten by you. What a rage to lose children, friends, companions. In Italy there is almost one death on a bicycle every day. How many more are needed to have a law that protects road victims? Stop this massacre. We ask for justice, so that your death was not in vain”.

Bugno and Chiappucci are side by side, standing at the back of the church. Seated in one of the benches near the coffin is Daniele Bennati, coach of the national team. Not far away is Cordiano Dagnoni, president of the Federciclismo. Alessandro Bertolini is leaning against a column of the church dedicated to the Most Holy Redeemer. Alessandro Ballan, on the other hand, is seated, holding his head in his hands.

Then there are the memories of lifelong friends. “There were only 16 of us in the first grade of Madonna di Lonigo: 12 girls and 4 boys”, recalls a former partner. “You were shy and silent. You preferred to act. On Monday you told us about your first conquests on a bicycle. This is your last flight to the sky and we accompany you with faces streaked with tears”.

On the first bench are his brother Carlo, his mother Brigida, his wife Françoise Antonini, who in recent weeks had denounced the fury of the Revenue Agency in reference to an open lawsuit with the tax authorities. But today’s sobs tell another story and are the background of the last ascent of this unlucky champion. Behind the curve of time flies is a champion killed without justice.