Extreme cyclist Andreas Tonelli plunges to his death
Tonelli's tragic death came just hours after he shared a selfie at 9,530 feet, smiling. The photo has since been deleted.
Andreas Tonelli, a 48-year-old Italian extreme mountain biker and social media influencer, died after plummeting 600 feet into a ravine in the Vallunga area above Val Gardena, South Tyrol, in Italy’s Dolomite Mountains. The accident occurred near Piz Duleda in the Puez-Odle Nature Park during a solo ride as part of a four-day Dolomites Enduro Traverse with Norrøna Adventure, a Norwegian outdoor brand where Tonelli served as an ambassador and guide.Tonelli, a South Tyrol native with over 127,000 Instagram followers, was known for daring feats like summiting Chile’s Nevado Ojos de Salado volcano, one of the world’s highest peaks.
His final Instagram Story, posted at 7:15 PM on July 15, showed him smiling with his bike on his shoulder at Piz Duleda’s 9,530-foot summit, just hours before his death
Friends alerted authorities at 9:00 PM when he failed to return, and an Aiut Alpin helicopter crew located his body at 1:00 AM on July 16 at the base of the ravine. The Carabinieri are investigating the cause of the fall, which occurred on a steep, technical trail with no witnesses.
Norrøna Adventure mourned Tonelli as a “passionate, dedicated” athlete with a “big smile and deep love” for biking, extending condolences to his family. X users praised his adventurous spirit.
Tonelli’s death follows other fatalities, including Kai Torres Bronson in 2023 and Jordie Lunn in 2019.