Freak Accident Kills Professional Spanish Cyclist Tondo

Spanish cyclist Xavier Tondo died Monday in a freak accident while at a ski resort in southern Spain.

Tondo, 32, was in his car preparing to leave a Sierra Nevada resort apartment building when he got out of the vehicle and was crushed between the car and an automatic garage door.

The manager of his Movistar team says that Tondo was heading to training with Benat Intxausti, another professional cyclist, who was also in the vehicle at the time of the accident.

According to reports Tondo and Intxausti were heading to the Sierra Nevada mountain range outside of Granada to train with Alejandro Valverde.

Last month, Tondo won the Tour of Castilla y Leon, and last year he placed sixth overall in the Tour of Spain. Tondo turned professional in 2003, and according to the Spanish cycling federation, Tondo won 14 races in his career.

Tondo informed authorities about a doping ring after he was offered banned substances.

A funeral for Xavier Tondo is scheduled for today, Wednesday, May 25.

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