The family of British boxing champion Gary Mason, who was killed while cycling, revealed today they were taking legal action against a van driver they blame for his death.
The former heavyweight fighter, 48, had been cycling close to his home when he was hit by Piero Zanelli and propelled on to the bonnet of his vehicle.
Mason's relatives are preparing a civil action against Mr Zanelli, 44, after a coroner ruled the Jamaican-born boxer's death was an accident.
Speaking after the inquest, his sister Paulette Stewart paid a moving tribute to Mason and insisted his death could have been prevented.
"Gary was a wonderful man and father, well loved by all and was taken from us through the reckless driving of Mr Zanelli," she said.
"We, as a family, will never get over Gary's death which in our view was clearly avoidable."
Family members earlier wiped tears from their eyes as Mason's final moments were reconstructed in the packed courtroom.
The inquest heard how Mr Zanelli, who failed a police sight test on the day of the crash, had been driving to work when he made a right hand turn at a junction and struck Mason.
The retired boxer, who had either been on his bike or pushing it at the time, was tossed into the air and hit the van's windscreen with a "thump".
The inquest heard many motorists drove across hazard lines to make the turn into Sandy Lane South, in Wallington, south London.
Giving evidence, Mr Zanelli, of Purley in Surrey, conceded he would cut across the road markings "eight times out of 10".
Asked whether he had done so at around 6am on January 6 last year, he replied: "I can't answer you that."
The inquest was told how Mason's bike was found in a mangled wreck at the side of the road, having been run over by Mr Zanelli's van.
Collision investigators estimated he had been driving at between 25mph and 48mph at the time of the crash.
CCTV footage showed he had been going at between 36mph and 41mph in the lead-up to the collision.
Mr Zanelli, who took a deep breath as he addressed the court, said the light bulb on his speedometer was not working when he hit Mason.
He told how he slowed down and dropped into second gear before making the turn in light drizzle.
"I didn't see anybody," he said. "There wasn't anything on my bonnet, there was just a thump and the windscreen shattered and that was it. It all happened in one go."
The driver, who has held a licence for 20 years, said he felt "scared" immediately after the collision and made a three-point turn in the road before pulling up.
Addressing the family, with whom he has had no contact since Mason's death, he said: "It has been a year and I haven't been able to pass on my condolences and I'm truly sorry for what has happened and if I could have avoided the whole thing I would have.
"I am truly sorry and once again pass on my condolences to the family and friends."