A cyclist survived “by a miracle” when a falling tree crashed into his brand-new bike.
Angelo Paolucci was excited about taking his pristine two-wheeler for a spin.
The 52-year-old was pedalling when he suddenly heard a “crackling” sound.
“I turned around and had time to see the tree coming down on my left,” he said.
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“Instinctively, I threw myself to the right, off the path.
“I can say I was lucky. My helmet cracked on impact with the ground, and I have some scrapes on my body.
“But it could have been much worse.”
Angelo was saved, in part, because he “wasn’t hit by the larger part of the trunk, but by the smaller branches”.
In the end, he only needed treatment for an open cut to his knee after the freak accident on Monday (22 Jul) morning.
Angelo had only bought his bike on Friday (19 Jul).
He was cycling a path he knew well near his home in Rome, Italy, when the incident happened.
After landing on the ground with a thud, Angelo picked himself up and dusted himself down.
He then removed his cycle from beneath the branches as carefully as possible, as reported on Need To Know.
He added: “My bike was brand new. I paid 8,000 euros (£6,700) for it, and I couldn’t wait to try it.
“I’ve never experienced anything like this.”
The tree was felled by a strong wind blowing at the time.
Angelo was annoyed that his brand-new bike was damaged in several places, including the rims and handlebars.
But he’s thankful he’s alive.
“I’m alive by a miracle,” he said. “My reflexes and helmet saved my life.”
Local councillors have requested safety measures for the affected area.
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