Alex Zanardi has been transferred from hospital to a specialist rehabilitation centre as he continues his recovery from a handcycling crash last month ©Getty Images

Four-time Paralympic gold medallist Alex Zanardi has been transferred from hospital to a specialist rehabilitation centre as he continues his recovery following a handcycling accident last month.

Zanardi, who won two gold medals in para-cycling at both London 2012 and Rio 2016 was involved in a crash while competing in a national handcycling race in Siena in Italy.

The 53-year-old was immediately taken to hospital by air ambulance, where he has since undergone three neurological surgeries, with his condition described as "very serious" by doctors as he was kept in an induced coma.

Medical staff from the Santa Maria alle Scotte Hospital in Siena announced today that Zanardi's sedation had gradually been decreased and that he was in a position to be transferred to a rehabilitation facility, as reported by Formula One.

Doctors cited "the normality of the cardio-respiratory and metabolic parameters, the stability of the general clinical conditions and the neurological picture" as the reasons why Zanardi could be transferred, a move that has now taken place.

"Our professionals remain at the disposal of this extraordinary person and his family for the further stages of clinical, diagnostic and therapeutic development, as always happens in these cases," said the hospital's general manager Valtere Giovannini.

Alex Zanardi won double gold in Para-cycling at both the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Paralympic Games ©Getty Images
Alex Zanardi won double gold in Para-cycling at both the London 2012 and Rio 2016 Paralympic Games ©Getty Images

"I sincerely thank the multidisciplinary team that took care of Zanardi putting in place a great professionalism, recognised nationally and beyond.

"The athlete spent over a month in our hospital - he underwent three delicate surgeries and showed a path of stability of his clinical conditions and vital parameters that allowed the reduction and suspension of sedation, and the consequent possibility to be transferred to a facility for the necessary neuro-rehabilitation."

No further information has been released about Zanardi's condition, and no timeframe has been given for his recovery.

The Italian competed in Formula One and sportscar racing during the 1990s.

In 2001, while competing in cart racing, he suffered a life-changing accident in which he lost both his legs.

Following his accident, Zanardi was fitted with two prosthetic limbs and after competing at the World Touring Car Championship turned to Para-cycling.