Newlywed, 30, dies as bike ‘splits in two’ after crash with world champ skier

Newlywed, 30, dies as bike ‘splits in two’ after crash with world champ skier Laura Viktoria Hartig, 30, was cycling through the Dolomites in Italy during her honeymoon when she collided with a motorbike ridden by a former downhill skier A newlywed fitness influencer has died after a horror road crash involving a former downhill skier. Laura Viktoria Hartig, 30, was critically injured in the collision with a motorbike while cycling through the Dolomites in northern Italy on her honeymoon and has now passed away. The German content creator, who had more than 51,000 Instagram followers, had married her husband Tilman only days earlier before the couple headed to the mountains for their honeymoon. The crash happened on the Passo Sella mountain pass on June 23. Laura was descending a series of bends when she collided head-on with a motorcycle being ridden uphill by former Italian downhill skier Peter Runggaldier, according to local reports. The 57-year-old previously won two Alpine Ski World Cup races. The impact was so severe that Laura's bicycle was reportedly snapped in two, with both riders thrown several metres onto the road. Emergency crews, including two rescue helicopters, rushed to the scene before Laura was airlifted to hospital in Bolzano in a critical condition. She was later transferred to a specialist clinic in Bavaria, Germany, to be closer to her family. Despite doctors' efforts, Laura died from her injuries on Sunday after spending almost three weeks in intensive care. Runggaldier, who reportedly suffered multiple fractures and abdominal injuries, survived the crash. Investigators are continuing to examine the circumstances surrounding the collision. "Regarding the serious road accident I was involved in, I ask you to respect my moment of grief and my need for privacy," he wrote on Instagram. "My thoughts are with all those involved and their families. I trust in your compassion," Laura was well known online for sharing videos of hiking, cycling and outdoor adventures in the Alps. In a heartbreaking final Instagram post shared just weeks before the crash, she uploaded footage from her wedding ceremony in the Dolomites, showing the couple exchanging vows surrounded by mountains and loved ones. The clip was captioned: "Soulmate for life." A statement from Italian police on Facebook said: "Road accident. This morning the force attended a road accident at Passo Sella, kilometer 32+400. "A motorcycle and a bicycle were involved. Traffic was stuck for about an hour. Intervened in support of the Canazei VVF, the White Cross of Canazei, Trentino emergency and the helicopter services."