THE HAGUE, Netherlands — Dutch motorcycle racer Edwin Straver died eight days after crashing in the Dakar Rally, race organizers said Friday.
Straver is the second racer to die as a result of injuries sustained in this year’s edition of the Dakar Rally in Saudi Arabia.
The 48-year-old Straver suffered serious injuries when he crashed on Jan. 16 during the rally’s penultimate stage. He was resuscitated by a medical team and airlifted to a hospital in Riyadh before being flown back to the Netherlands.
« The entire Dakar caravan would like to extend its sincere condolences to Edwin’s family and friends, » organizers said in a statement.
Another motorbike rider, Paulo Goncalves of Portugal, fell and suffered cardiac arrest about halfway through the 546-kilometer (339-mile) seventh stage.
Goncalves was the first competitor to die in the Dakar Rally, the world’s toughest rally, since Polish motorcyclist Michal Hernik in 2015 in Argentina. Two non-competitors were killed in 2016 in crashes with vehicles.
Straver was taking part in his third Dakar Rally. He won the Original by Motel class in 2019.
http://www.espn.com/racing/story/_/id/28553142/dutch-motorbike-racer-edwin-straver-dies-8-days-dakar-rally-crash
