Spanish motorcycle racer Carles Falcon succumbed to injuries sustained in a Dakar Rally crash just a week ago, according to his team's announcement on Monday.
Falcon's demise marked the 33rd life claimed by this grueling race, known as one of the world's toughest, where competitors traverse thousands of kilometers.
At the age of 45, Falcon, representing the TwinTrail team in the motorcycle category, met with a fatal accident during the second stage of the 46th Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia.
The incident occurred at the 448th-kilometer stretch between the cities of Al Henakiyah and Al Duwadimi.
Despite immediate efforts, Falcon's condition remained critical, leading to his tragic passing after an eight-day battle for life.
Falcon, who had previously ranked 68th in the 2022 Dakar Rally, now joins the solemn list of 32 other athletes who have lost their lives in the history of this event, a poignant reminder of the inherent risks participants face in this extreme competition.
The Dakar Rally, featuring categories such as automobile, motorcycle, truck, ATV and UTV, has witnessed nearly 50 lives lost, not limited to athletes alone.
Journalists, organizers and spectators have also fallen victim to the challenges presented by the race, underscoring its perilous nature.
Reflecting on the grim history of the Dakar Rally, the 32 previous casualties include individuals like Patrice Dodin, Bert Oosterhuis, and Jean-Noel Pineau, who faced tragic fates during the early years of the race.
The list goes on to include notable figures like Gilles Lalay, Fabrizio Meoni and Paulo Gonçalves, each succumbing to the treacherous conditions in different stages and years.
Notably, the race has claimed not only the lives of competitors but also those involved in its organization, as exemplified by the death of Thierry Sabine, the founder of the Dakar Rally, back in 1986.
