The tragedy took place in Marinella Sant'Eugemia near Lamezia Terme. According to reports, the driver, Chafik Elketani, was driving his Mercedes and at one point tried to pass another car. He hit a group of cyclists instead. Seven of them died on the spot, one at the hospital and another four were injured.
The cyclists killed this weekend had a habit. Each Sunday and on holidays, they started their rides from Lamezia Terme in the Calabria region.
Gianluca Gioia, a spokesman for Anas, the agency in charge with running Italy's state roads and highways, told The Telegraph that the man who caused the carnage was placed under arrest.
As a result of the crash, Italian officials are now trying to find better solutions in terms of legislation to prevent such an event from happening again. According to Italian cycling federation president, Renato Di Rocco, something must be done.
"These episodes bring the discussion of security. The federation has worked a lot on this in the last years; the number of cases of death and accidents in official races has dropped,” Di Rocco told cyclingweekly.co.uk.
“We are trying to help protect the cyclists. Then, all of the work is thwarted in this way, unmanageable. If anything, it will be helpful in bringing about changes."
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