Fabio Casartelli had several wins as an amateur from 1990-92, including back-to-back wins in 1991-92 at Monte Carlo-Alassio. He was not a sure bet to be chosen for the Italian road team in 1992, but he was chosen and in the 1992 Olympic road race, Casartelli headed a three-man breakaway, and held off Erik Dekker to take the Olympic gold.
Casartelli then became a professional in 1993, signing with Team Ariostea, achieving fairly unremarkable results, his only significant win a stage victory in the 1993 Settimana Bergamasca. He was chosen as a member of the 1995 Motorola team to ride the Tour de France. In stage 15, Casartelli and several other riders fell on the descent from the Col de Portet d’Aspet. He struck a concrete block along the road, and was immediately transported to a hospital by helicopter, but was declared dead on arrival. Although it is unlikely that a helmet would have saved Casartelli’s life, helmets soon became mandatory in professional cycling races. In 1997 the Tour de France changed the name of the award in the young rider classification (white jersey) to the “Souvenir Fabio Casartelli”.
Italy