Carly Hibberd 

Cycling Australia are shocked and saddened to learn of the death of Queensland cyclist Carly Hibberd.

"Everyone in the cycling community is feeling the loss and our thoughts and sympathy are with her family and her fiance," said Cycling Australia CEO Graham Fredericks. "Carly was following her cycling dream in Italy, doing what she loved to do and enjoying life. Sadly that dream has ended."

The 26 year old from Sherwood in Queensland was on a training ride north of Milan on Wednesday morning Italian time when she was struck by a car. Emergency services flew to the scene by helicopter but were unable to save her and she died at the scene.

Carly was a former runner who came into cycling through a talent identification scheme. She was a scholarship holder at the Queensland Academy of Sport for two years and raced domestically with the MB Cycles team from 2006 to 2008.

Carly won the women's Cycling Australia National Road Series in 2008 after earning points in all six rounds. She moved to Italy in 2009 to pursue a cycling career racing with the Michela Fanini-Record-Rox team up until this season when she joined Cassina Rizzardi A Style Fionucci.

Former team mate Liz Young rode with Carly for two years in the MBCycles team.

"Carly was a bright, friendly, energetic young person," said Ms Young. "She had a great passion for her sport and for life in general.

"When she was around 19 she decided she wanted to become a professional cyclist and she pursued that dream with a great deal of passion," she said. "She dedicated her life to her sport and to her friends and family and was a very positive person to be around."

"Our thoughts are also with the members of the Ipswich Cycling Club where Carly was a member," said Mr Fredericks.

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