Near tragedy in Sardinia. Andrea De Totto, 26 years old on January 5th, residing in Treviso, was struck by a van while training in Sardinia, in the province of Olbia where he has his family home. Fortunately, he only suffered a few scratches, but it could have been much worse. He is registered with Gragnano Sporting Club, a Lucca-based continental team.

The accident occurred Saturday afternoon, and he told us the story himself. "The terrible crash happened while I was returning home from training: a van hit me full force from behind. I didn't notice it. I woke up lying among the rocks, beyond the guardrail. Many people witnessed the violent impact and immediately came to help me. The Olbia Emergency Helicopter was also mobilized, but fortunately, it wasn't necessary. I suffered various traumas, the most significant being a cut on my left leg where they applied stitches."

The accident happened on a straight road about two kilometers long. "The van driver, a mason, told me he didn't see me because he was blinded by the sun or because of a dirty windshield: he took full responsibility for what happened - explains Andrea De Totto - I always train on the road's edge because I'm afraid of accidents. I cover about 30,000 kilometers a year and nothing has ever happened to me. This time it happened to me, and fortunately, I can tell the story. I don't know how to thank the people who helped me and alerted the Olbia hospital emergency room."

This is how the season begins for this promising son of a cycling legend. Dad Michele, 68 years old from Lazio, was a professional and distinguished himself especially in cyclocross races, even wearing the blue jersey: in 1983, he finished 24th in the World Championship in Birmingham, won by the great Roland Liboton. For work, he settled in Treviso. "I'm still in the family home - Andrea says, still resting and without a bike to train on - the bike and clothing I had during the accident are completely ruined. Sardinian roads are safe, but this time the unthinkable happened. I always train here at the beginning of the season. In a few days, I'll be at the team's training camp to prepare for the start of the races, which this year has been brought forward to February 15th. Above all, I wanted to perform well in the Tour of Sardinia. I prepared well, did great work that I would hate to have wasted."

The 2026 Tour of Sardinia will open this year's Regions Cup. Scheduled from February 25th to March 1st, it will be the first race of the Italian season and is open to Continental teams like Gragnano.

Andrea De Totto has been cycling for only five years. He started racing in 2021 from his third year as an under-23 and began gaining experience with the Trentino Cycling Team Under 23, with sports director Igino Andreis in the team car. He has the characteristics of a puncheur-sprinter. Then he moved to Trevigiani, Sissio Team, and now Gragnano. He is the provincial champion in the elite amateur category, a title awarded last year in the Badoere-Valdobbiadene race.

As a child, his first true passion was motorcycles and his idol Valentino Rossi. The only two wheels he could have, however, were bicycle wheels. He played football for many years, with Santa Bona and Treviso. He's a Roma fan. He became passionate about mechanics by dismantling and reassembling his father Michele's old racing bikes. After finishing school (mechanical course at Giorgi in Treviso), he started working and trained before or after shifts with an old fixed-gear bike. "Fortunately, my mother is here to assist me now. We cyclists have seven lives, and I've already lost one - Andrea smiles - but I can't wait to get back on the bike."

Good luck, Andrea.