He passed away this morning, after a month-long battle between life and death at the San Bortolo Hospital in Vicenza, Kevin Bonaldo, the 25-year-old athlete from Sc Padovani Polo Cherry Bank who had been struck by a health crisis on September 21st during the Piccola Sanremo in Sovizzo.

After being immediately assisted by medical staff at the event, Kevin Bonaldo was admitted to the intensive care unit of the San Bortolo Hospital in Vicenza. During this month, while being kept under constant observation, Kevin demonstrated his true character by fighting for his recovery in his hospital bed. Throughout these weeks, he had shown signs that had given hope for his recovery. Unfortunately, in recent hours his condition worsened and this morning, surrounded by his family, he passed away, leaving an irreplaceable void for all those who had the fortune and honor of knowing him.

25 years old, from Loria in the Treviso province, Kevin Bonaldo, coming from a cycling-passionate family, had started racing as a G1 with the Uc Loria jersey, then moving to Uc Giorgione, and later wearing the Vc Bassano jersey with which, as a Junior, he had secured a second place in the Italian Team Time Trial Championship. A result he repeated in 2021 among the Under 23s, with Team Qhubeka. Joining Sc Padovani Polo Cherry Bank this year, after experiences with Zalf Euromobil Désirée Fior and Work Service, he had achieved a fifth international place in the fourth stage of Dookoła Mazowsza in Poland, becoming a cornerstone of the white-green team for his character and experience.

Kevin Bonaldo leaves behind his mother Cinzia and father Roberto, brothers Simone and Antonio, his girlfriend Alice, and numerous friends who have shown their support during this past month.

"I want to thank everyone who has been close to us and given us strength during this month. Kevin felt all these encouragements and, until the very end, fought every day to recover. A special thanks to all the doctors and staff at San Bortolo Hospital in Vicenza, to the team that stood by our side, and to everyone who sent even a simple thought to Kevin," said Antonio Bonaldo, speaking on behalf of the entire Bonaldo family.

Sc Padovani Polo Cherry Bank, in this sad and tragic moment, wants to express its deepest condolences and closeness to Kevin's family and loved ones. "We carried Kevin with us in every race of this season's finale. Since September 21st, we have been in a state of anxious waiting that, unfortunately, concluded today with this tragic news. We are close to Antonio and Kevin's entire family, we embrace them to show all our warmth and participation in this grief," concluded Galdino Peruzzo, President of Sc Padovani Polo Cherry Bank.