Austrian pro Andreas Matzbacher died in a Christmas Eve auto accident, his Volksbank team announced late Tuesday.

According to police, the 25-year-old Matzbache lost control of his car and crashed into a pillar supporting an overhead signpost near his home in the southern Austrian community of Graz. Matzbacher pronounced dead at the scene.

"At the age of 25, 'Matzi' was torn out of this life far too early on Christmas Eve and leaves a deep hole in our midst," Team Volksbank said in a statement.

Matzbacher turned pro in 2004, riding for Italy's Saeco squad, then the Lampre team in 2005, before joining the continental Volksbank squad in 2006.

"The Austrian Cycling Federation mourns the loss of one of the greatest talents and an important pillar of domestic cycling," federation president Otto Flum said in a statement released on the organization's website on Wednesday.

2005: Lampre-Caffita (Italy)
6th - Austrian Road Championships

2004: Saeco (Italy)
1st - GP Judendorf (Austria)
2nd - Fourth stage Tour of Austria