Zanardi, who misplaced his legs in a racing crash, was credited with serving to rework the notion of incapacity in Italy.
Printed On 2 Might 2026
Alex Zanardi, the Italian Method One driver who turned a Paralympic cycling champion after shedding each legs in an accident, has died aged 59, his household introduced.
Zanardi, certainly one of his nation’s most liked and revered sportsmen, who was credited with serving to rework the notion of incapacity in Italy, died on Friday night.
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In an announcement issued on Saturday via the charity he based, Obiettivo3, his household stated he died “out of the blue”, but in addition “peacefully, surrounded by the love of his household and associates”.
“The household want to categorical their heartfelt due to all those that are displaying their assist at the moment and asks that their grief and privateness be revered throughout this era of mourning.”
Zanardi’s demise comes six years after the four-time Paralympic gold medal winner suffered a second horror crash in June 2020, when his handbike crashed into an oncoming truck throughout a race in Tuscany.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni hailed Zanardi as “an awesome champion and a rare man, able to turning each trial of life right into a lesson in braveness, power and dignity”.
Cordiano Dagnoni, head of the Italian Biking Federation, stated he “remodeled the tradition of our nation, bringing pleasure and happiness to these lucky sufficient to know him, and hope to so many in Italy and around the globe”.
He stated there can be a minute’s silence noticed at this weekend’s races in tribute to the athlete.
Zanardi raced for Jordan, Minardi and Lotus in F1 within the early Nineteen Nineties earlier than switching to the CART championship in the USA the place he was sequence champion in 1997 and 1998.
He returned to F1 with Williams in 1999 earlier than heading again to CART.
Zanardi virtually died in a horrific accident in 2001 on the Lausitzring monitor in Germany, after which he had each legs amputated.
His automotive had stalled in the midst of the monitor after a spin and was struck by one other automotive at a velocity of greater than 300km/h (186mph).
But he went on to change into one of many best-known figures in Paralympic sports activities, successful two gold medals on the 2012 London Video games and two extra in Rio de Janeiro, 4 years later.
In June 2020, he was concerned in one other horrible accident, this time in Tuscany. He suffered critical head accidents and solely returned residence 18 months later.
Zanardi, born in Bologna on October 23, 1966, leaves his spouse Daniela and son Niccolo.
