The Italian cyclist Michele Scarponi, who died recently after being hit by a truck while training near his house, had a peculiar way of preparing for competitions, as he would ride alongside a parrot that belongs to his neighbor.
...3 hours today with Frankje...👌😎🔝 November 22, 2016
Scarponi would publish videos of his training sessions with the parrot Frankje, who would sometimes fly beside him or on his back. After the cyclist's death, several Twitter users have posted images showing the bird waiting for the Italian cyclist by a traffic sign, where they placed a flower memorial to remember him.
And meanwhile, Frankje is still there. Waiting for his training buddy. April 24, 2017
Michele explained to the cycling website Velonews how Frankje became his ideal training partner.
"Frankje started following me, and at first, I was scared because I didn't know if he would attack me. But then, he perched on my shoulders and we became friends," he expressed.