For the relationship to prosper, the two communities must continue to connect and learn from each other, said Beltrami County Historical Society Executive Director Gary Rozman. During his time in Filottrano, located on the eastern side of the Italian peninsula, Rozman met with Mayor Lauretta Giulion and several other city officials who were open and eager to pursue the sister city project. The effort has gained traction locally, too. MILAN (AP) - Michele Scarponi, who won the Giro d'Italia in 2011, died after a collision with a van while training on Saturday. He was 37. Scarponi was training near his home of Filottrano, near Ancona, when he was hit by a van at a crossroad, Team Astana said. According to Italian media reports, the Astana cyclist died on the spot and was unable to be revived by emergency services which arrived promptly. Team Astana called it "a tragedy too big to be written" in a statement. "We left a great champion and a special guy, always smiling in every situation, he was a real mile stone and a landmark for everyone in the Astana Pro Team," it added. Scarponi is survived by a wife and twin sons, who are only four years old. He had returned home after finishing fourth in the Tour of the Alps on Friday in Trento. He won the first stage on Monday. Scarponi had posted a photo on Twitter on Friday night, with his sons on his back and the caption: "Even if only for a day I thought I'd bring home two leaders' jerseys." His wife, Anna, put a photo on Instagram several hours after the death of Scarponi, showing him pedaling outside the Astana team bus watched by his sons. She wrote "thank-you everyone." Scarponi was awarded the 2011 Giro trophy after Alberto Contador was stripped of the title because of doping. The Italian had also faced doping sanctions. He was banned for 18 months in July 2007 following the long-running Operation Puerto doping scandal, while he served a three-month suspension from the end of 2012 after working with the banned physician Michele Ferrari. Scarponi had been named as Astana's leader for the upcoming Giro d'Italia, which starts in less than two weeks, after Fabio Aru pulled out with a knee injury. "An infinite tragedy. Words don't exist. Rest in peace my friend," Aru tweeted. Former teammate Vincenzo Nibali wrote: "I don't know, I can't cope! I don't have words my friend..." Scarponi was one of the most liked riders on the circuit, with his sense of humor and jovial disposition. He often started training rides with his parrot on his shoulder, posting videos which quickly went viral. "Yesterday he was racing. He came up to me. Michele was smiling, as ever," Italy team coach Davide Cassani wrote on Twitter. "He was happy for (Monday's) win. He was talking about the Giro. And now I'm here crying for him. Oh my God." The Italian football federation announced there will be a minute's silence at all matches this weekend in honor of Scarponi and other sports are expected to follow suit. Scarponi was an Inter Milan fan and had reportedly planned to attend the Nerazzurri's Serie A match at Fiorentina on Saturday night. Inter was one of the many sports teams which tweeted their support, along with governing bodies and athletes. "Our condolences and hugs to your dearest in a very sad day for sport. Your Inter bids you farewell with affection," Inter wrote. Scarponi killed in road accident while training Valverde dedicates fourth Liège win to Scarponi Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a España.Get the latest with our sport podcasts on your favourite podcast apps.Watch on SBS SportSport News Archive OPINION Foundation aims to raise awareness of road safety and change driving habits Astana compiles touching video tribute to Michele Scarponi Scarponi to be buried in his cycling kit Scarponi's brother makes impassioned plea for better road safety Scarponi death investigation ends as driver of van dies - News Shorts Michele Scarponi remembered with mass ride in hometown of Filottrano As reported by Tuttobiciweb.it brother Marco and sister Silvia set up the foundation in an attempt to change driver behaviour and to promote the message for increased road safety Thirty-seven-year-old Scarponi, who turned pro in 2001 and had ridden for Astana since 2014, was killed while training near his home in Filottrano, in Italy's Marche region, on April 22 last year "Our roads aren't safe. They're unsafe," Marco Scarponi said at a sportif ride in Filottrano in April which saw 2,000 riders taking part in his brother's memory "This isn't a civil country if it allows an average of 15 people to be killed every day in road accidents We don't need to be cycling champions but champions of civil behaviour out on the roads." The foundation will begin activities during the Giro d'Italia “This is the spot on which he stood during (the) culmination of his search for the source of the Mississippi,” said Gary Rozman executive director of the Beltrami County Historical Society Veteran Astana rider hit by a van near his home in central Italy Michele Scarponi has been killed while training at home on Saturday morning Tributes flood in for Michele Scarponi after Italian dies in training crash Astana decide to start in Liege-Bastogne-Liege despite Scarponi's death Riders, directors at Liege pay tribute to Michele Scarponi Michele Scarponi: A career of smiles and sacrifice Liege-Bastogne-Liege peloton pays tribute to Michele Scarponi Nibali dedicates Tour of Croatia victory to Michele Scarponi He was reportedly hit by a van at a crossroads after the driver failed to see him The Astana team confirmed the news on its website writing: “This is a tragedy too painful to be written Our athlete Michele Scarponi died this morning while he was training on his bike close to his home in Filottrano Michele was hit by a van on a crossroad.” “Michele finished fourth in the Tour of Alps yesterday afternoon in Trento Then he went home to Filottrano (Ancona) by car with his masseur and was home in the evening with his family This morning Michele went out on his bike for an early morning training ride and there the tragedy happened.” “We’ve lost a great champion and a special guy He was a real cornerstone and a landmark for everyone in the Astana Pro Team.” “The Astana Pro Team offers its deepest sympathies to Michele’s family in this incredibly painful moment of sorrow and mourning.” Scarponi was known and admired as being one of the friendliest riders in the peloton he entertained fans with videos on social media of his friendship with a Macaw called Frankje who would fly along side him or land on his helmet Scarponi had recently been named the leader of the Astana team for the Giro d’Italia after Fabio Aru was ruled of the race due to a knee injury He won the opening stage at the Tour of the Alps on Monday and wore the race leader’s jersey for a day He dedicated his victory to the earthquake victims of central Italy Scarponi's last post on Twitter was a photo of him wearing the race leader’s jersey he had brought home from the Tour of the Alps Cyclingnews would like to extend its deepest condolences to Michele Scarponi's family, friends and teammates. ShareGet SBS News daily and direct to your InboxSign up now for the latest news from Australia and around the world direct to your inbox.Your email address *Morning (Mon–Fri) 'I've asked myself everyday since Michele's death: how do cyclists manage to train on the road?' Michele Scarponi killed in training Thousands remember Michele Scarponi at his funeral in Filottrano Astana to race Giro d'Italia one rider short in honour of Scarponi Aru dedicates Italian title to Scarponi Michele Scarponi was killed near his home in Filottrano in the Marche region in April just days after winning the opening stage of the Tour of the Alps as he prepared to lead the Astana team at the Giro d'Italia Investigations into his death are ongoing but it has been reported that the driver of the vehicle that struck him had been looking at his phone at the time of the fatal collision highlighting that every car user could potentially cause the death of a cyclist or pedestrian "Perhaps it's time to leave the car in the garage instead of using it to drive a few metres to our children's school sustainable and safe way of life depends on how we use the roads and as much as we believe ourselves to be innocent we are all involved and all potentially guilty of a massacre." Marco revealed that the Scarponi family plan to create a foundation to help improve road safety "Michele's smile will save many lives," he wrote Marco and his sister Silvia attended the presentation of the 2018 Tour of the Alps in Milan on Tuesday with race organisers remembering Michele with a tribute video showing his victory in Innsbruck and his happy celebrations Marco and Silvia struggled to hold back their emotions but were proud to hear that Michele will be remembered with a special prize for outstanding teamwork during each stage with a donation being made to a local voluntary group "Seeing all the affection from so many people has helped us overcome the pain of his loss," Silvia said Marco Scarponi reiterated his call for improved road safety "The official statistics in Italy are clear Two pedestrians are killed every day and there are 4,000 road accident victims a year This shows we have a huge problem and these numbers occur year after year not only with education but also regarding how roads are designed and how the traffic is controlled," Marco said "I've asked myself everyday since Michele's death: how do cyclists manage to train out on the road There's a real risk that someone sets off from home for a ride and doesn't come back We've got to do something to change things Stephen FarrandSocial Links NavigationHead of NewsStephen is one of the most experienced member of the Cyclingnews team having reported on professional cycling since 1994 He has been Head of News at Cyclingnews since 2022 before which he held the position of European editor since 2012 and previously worked for Reuters We invite you to listen to a lecture by Prof director of the Centro Studi di Storia del Paracadutismo Militare Italiano (Centre for the Study of the History of Italian Military Parachuting) The lecture was delivered as part of the ‘Living History’ series in August 2023 ‘July 1944: the battles for the liberation of Ancona The Italian Liberation Corps and the II Polish Corps in the battles of Filottrano Rustico and Polverigi‘ (’July 1944: the battle for the liberation of Ancona The Italian Liberation Corps and the 2nd Polish Corps in the battles of Filottrano The subject of the lecture covers the relatively little-known battles of General Anders' 2nd Polish Corps fought during the so-called Italian Campaign in 1944-1945 side by side with Italian forces which after the capitulation of Italy in 1943 switched sides and fought alongside the Allies the soldiers of General Anders and the Italians of the Italian Liberation Corps clashed with the German forces which were retreating to the Gothic line and had to capture important ports off the Italian coast in order to gain access to the sea in order to increase supplies to the fighting Allied troops Ancona was one of the strategically important logistical points Rustico and Polverigi were to unlock the Allied route to Ancona