Cyclists gathered at a busy Lavender Hill junction in protest for a “die in” after 32-year-old Lucia Ciccioli was killed after being hit by a truck.

About 200 cyclists staged the vigil last night, during which campaigners lay down in the road alongside their bikes at the junction where Ms Cicciloi was killed

Campaigners read out tributes from family and friends of the Italian waitress, who was killed while cycling to work at the junction of Lavender Hill and Elspeth Road at about 8am on Monday, October 24.

A tribute read from a friend said: “Lucia was like a rainbow, colourful, happy. You would fall in love with her immediately. She was happy and brought a smile into everybody’s life.

“Now the pain is so much that it makes you feel numb, but we want to keep her gorgeous smile and great personality alive.”

The vigil was organised by Stop Killing Cyclists, a campaign group set up to promote a safer road infrastructure for cyclists in the capital.

Yesterday, a 21-year-old man was killed after being hit by a HGV outside Knightsbridge Tube station in central London.

He is believed to be the eigth cyclist killed on London's roads this year.

Nicola Branch, who organised the protest, said: “We were set up by a couple of people in November 2013 and in a two period six people were killed driving their bikes in London.

“Sadiq Khan has said he will bring in a rating system [for HGVs]. He is not going to bring it in until 2020, that is just not good enough. They have to change the vehicles.”

Friends have taken to social media to pay tribute to Ms Cicciloi.

Fellow worker Rafael Italiano posted on Facebook: “Grazzie Lucia Ciccioli. Been part of our dream team at Carluccio's Spitalfields and our lives."

Felipe Diego Santana Luiz posted: “Oh Beautiful angel, it's so hard to believe that you're gone. So beautiful, so gentle, so kind, always smiling and bringing happiness to everyone around you, so full of life. 

“The world has lost one of the most beautiful souls ever. I wish I had more time next to you, but my time is over, and it is your time to rest in peace in heaven.”