Vicenza (Italy) - He rammed ex-professional cyclist Davide Rebellin (†51) off his bike with his truck and simply took off - German trucker Wolfgang R. (64) was sentenced to four years' imprisonment by an Italian court.

The former champion was training on his home track near Vicenca. But the German's truck hit him at a traffic circle. Wolfgang R. got out and could have helped. But he simply drove on.

Almost two years after the fatal incident in which the former Italian professional cyclist Davide Rebellin (†51) tragically lost his life , the verdict against the perpetrator has been reached at first instance. Four years in prison. This was the verdict handed down by Judge Filippo Lagrasta at the court in Vincenca (northern Italy), reports broadcaster Rai.

The chamber considered it proven that Wolfgang R. got out of the car after the fatal accident on November 30, 2022, but did nothing to help. The long-distance driver initially continued his journey to North Rhine-Westphalia . The former world-class athlete Rebellin, who rode for the German cycling team Gerolsteiner from 2002 to 2008, died at the scene of the accident.

R. was identified shortly afterwards on the basis of witness statements and images from surveillance cameras, arrested in Münster and extradited from Germany to Italy in the summer of 2023 on the basis of a European arrest warrant .

At a preliminary hearing in December last year, the prosecution and defense agreed on a deal: three years and eleven months in prison for a full confession. The agreement was later withdrawn by the prosecution and a prison sentence of five years was demanded.

In the end, the court found mitigating circumstances. Wolfgang R., who recently suffered a heart attack, expressed remorse during the trial and spoke of "a mistake and a tragedy."

"I am very, very, very sorry. I regret it and will accept my punishment," said the death trucker during the trial.

The deceased's surviving dependants were compensated 825,000 euros by the insurance company. They received the verdict with mixed feelings, reports the Ansa news agency.

Davide Rebellin (†51) was regarded as a top rider in the late 90s and early 2000s, winning a stage at the Giro d'Italia, among others. In 2009, Rebellinwas involved in an unsightly doping scandal that overshadowed the rest of his career. In 2022, a few weeks before his death, the specialist for one-day races retired from professional sport.