Andrea Vendrame of Italy was struck in the street while training and reported the driver to Italian police.

The AG2R La Mondial rider was not injured, but revealed the incident to a local newspaper in the northern Veneto region.

According to the Gazzettino newspaper, and later through other Italian media, Vendrame was struck in the same side of his face where he was injured when a car crossed his path in 2016. He suffered deep cuts and scars after the car's window was smashed through, and four years later, when he needed 60 internal stitches and 50 external stitches, he still has shards of glass in his neck.

He was understandably shocked by the incident.

"Around 10 a.m., I was driving toward Conegliano to get to the hills. I was inside the white line when a car passed right by me at a high rate of speed. Then the driver suddenly slammed on his brakes, got out, and punched me as I passed him," Vendrame explained. [I was caught off guard, but I managed to hit the brakes so I didn't fall over; I made a U-turn and almost caused an accident, so I took out my cell phone and took a picture of the license plate.

"I then went to the ER ward of the local hospital and was treated by the doctor who followed up with me after the big accident in 2016. I am going to file a police report in hopes that they can identify the driver."

Vendrame appealed for witnesses.

"If anyone saw this crazy gesture by a 40-year-old with a local Veneto accent who was driving a Volvo, please come forward.

"I can ask all other drivers to treat cyclists safely: the road belongs to everyone and we deserve respect."

Vendrame joined AG2R La Mondiale in 2019 after three seasons with Androni Giocattoli; in 2019 he won a stage at the Circuit Cycliste Sarthe and the Troblos Leon race on dirt roads in western France. This year he competed in the Giro d'Italia, finishing fourth in the Trofeo Laigueglia and Paris-Camembert.

In 2021, he will ride for the AG2R Citroën team with Greg Van Avermaat and Oliver Naessen, who recently extended his contract with the French team until the end of 2023.