On Sunday, I started the new season with the Tour of Qatar. It was a sad day in which the athletic aspect took a backseat. We learned that Franco Ballerini had died in an accident during a rally in Tuscany.

When the fatal accident occurred, he was a co-driver in an amateur race. The driver was Alessandro Ciardi, who is now in a coma.

Ballerini, who was only 45 years old, was a successful Classique driver and twice winner of the ParisÂ-Roubaix (1995 and 1998). Since 2001, Ballerini was the Italian Association's Commissario Tecnico for the Road Cycling World Championship and the Olympic Games.

Under his tenure, Mario Cipollini (2002), Paolo Bettini (2006 and 2007), and Alessandro Ballan (2008) became world champions, and in 2004 Bettini won an Olympic gold medal in Athens. Ballerini was not only a champion, he was also a person with great character who will be sorely missed by us all.

Fabian Cancellara.