He was 59 years old and we have told the story of his achievements on these pages many times because Alex Zanardi was an extraordinary champion, one of those who never stopped facing life's challenges head-on.

Formula 1 driver with 44 Grand Prix races to his name, in 2001 Zanardi departed from the CART category and on September 15 he was involved in a terrible accident on the Lausitzring circuit: his car lost grip, spun on itself and was hit by the car driven by Alex Tagliani. Four days in a coma, the last rites, the double amputation of his legs, fifteen operations, two years of work to return to racing, still on that same track and to complete the last 13 laps of an interrupted race.

The engines, certainly, but the new challenge still had two wheels but with human propulsion: Zanardi chose the handbike for his new career: he made his debut in 2007 at the New York Marathon with a fourth place finish and he would go on to win that marathon in 2011 on the eve of the London 2012 Paralympic Games in which he won gold in the time trial and road race and silver in the mixed relay. Results that he would repeat four years later, at 50 years of age, at the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games.

Not only competition, but also full social commitment for Zanardi, who on June 19, 2020, during a charity relay, lost control of his handbike and collided with a truck coming from the opposite direction on the roads of Siena. Seven months of a new ordeal, awakening in January 2021 and finally returning home with his wife Daniela and his son Nicolò.

Although he no longer appeared in public, Alex Zanardi's example continued to motivate athletes and ordinary people, sports champions and champions of life. And we are certain that it will continue to do so even now that he has passed away.