Davide Rebellin, the heartbreaking memory of Davide Cassani

Cassani’s grief over the tragic death of Davide Rebellin

Davide Cassani, former technical commissioner of the national cycling team, posted a message on Facebook minutes after the news of Davide Rebellin’s tragic death following a car accident in the Veneto region of Italy.

“He had just quit,” Cassani began, “He had said that he would still have the strength to race but that at 51 it seemed decent to hang up his bike. He didn’t have the time. I feel like saying: but if he really had, at least for a few months, hung up his bike now we would not be here mourning him. Reading a few minutes ago about Davide Rebellin’s passing threw me into utter sadness. Because he was the passion for cycling made in person, he was a good, kind, silent guy who in spite of everything and everyone did what he loved the most, riding a bike.”

“He had turned pro on the same day as Marco Pantani, in August 1992 racing the GP of Camaiore to close his very long career just a month ago,” the former coach added. I never saw him angry, never once when he raised his voice, never. For him, life was about running, I never saw a more professional professional than him. And now I’m here mourning his memory, his goodness, his endurance and his ability to be an athlete for a lifetime. I would be inclined to say that he died a hero’s death, that he died exactly where he had begun to live his second life. But a truck took that opportunity away from him, and we can only mourn once again, one of us. Fate is indeed cruel.”