Italian cycling is in mourning after under-23 cyclist Giovanni Iannelli died from head injuries sustained in a crash during a sprint at the end of a race in Piedmont on Saturday.

The 22-year-old from Prato in Tuscany hit his head on a concrete pillar at the end of the Trofeo Valle Scrivia race in Molino di Torti, reports the Giornale di Alessandrio.

The newspaper reports that the impact split Iannelli’s helmet in two.

He was taken to hospital in Alessandria by helicopter, where he remained in a coma and passed away on Monday morning.

His father, Carlo Iannelli, is the regional vice-president for Tuscany of the Italian cycling federation.

Iannelli rode for the Hato Green Tea Beer cycling team and raced in the Tour of Albania earlier this year, finishing 39th overall.

His funeral is due to take place at Prato cathedral on Friday.