Some scary stuff for a pro rider out training. Gianmarco Garofoli’s winter training camp in the Canary Islands took a frightening turn on Thursday. The Italian pro was hit by a motorist while riding in Tenerife.
Garofoli, 23, who rides for Soudal Quick-Step was out for a regular training ride on the slopes of Mount Teide. It’s a popular climb for pros preparing for the season.
A regular ride gone wrong, quick
According to Garofoli’s account shared on Instagram, the car was travelling at high speed, over 100 km/h. The worst part is the motorist did not slow down or even try to avoid him.
The driver first struck him with its side mirror before making further contact with the front of the car, sending Garofoli crashing to the pavement. And they kept going.
The Italian described the moments following the impact as terrifying. While he avoided a direct hit from the full body of the car, he admitted that the consequences could have been far more serious. “If I had been hit squarely, the outcome might have been very different,” he said.
After the collision, Garofoli later saw what he thought was the same car. He spotted a white SEAT in town and immediately alerted the Guardia Civil. Authorities were able to locate and identify the driver, according to reports. An investigation into the collision is underway.
A local hospital confirmed that Garofoli thankfully did not suffer any fractures, according to sportface.it. He did however, get a bunch of bruises along the left side of his body.
The rider openly spoke about feeling vulnerable and helpless while lying on the road. He used the incident to call for greater awareness and mutual respect between motorists and cyclists. As any cyclist knows, a single moment of inattention or a reckless decision by a drive can have devastating consequences. Thankfully, the rider is OK–but it’s a reminder of how sketchy it can be out there on the road.
The Italian turned pro in 2022 with Astana. After two years, he switched to the Belgian team. So far he has one big win as a pro, Stage 2 of the 57th Giro Ciclistico della Valle d’Aosta, and just missed out on a podium in a stage of the 2025 Giro d’Italia.
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